Salient Theological Themes Psalm 51

Psalm 51: Salient Theological Themes Salient Theological Themes: Psalm 51 Psalm 51 is a penitential psalm presenting David's prayer for confession after he was confronted by Prophet Nathan for conspiring against Uriah and taking his wife Bathsheba. It is organized into four distinct sections, beginning with a plea for restoration, and ending with an intercession for the psalmist's people. This text identifies the salient themes in Psalm 51, and the specific strategies used by the psalmist to deal with his guilt and confession.

Psalm 51: Salient Theological Themes Psalm 51 is a confession Psalm that basically presents David's prayer for forgiveness after he was rebuked by Prophet Nathan for plotting against Uriah, and taking his wife, Bathsheba, for himself. David organizes his prayer in four distinct sections, beginning with a plea for mercy (51: 1-14), followed by a plea for restoration (51: 5-12), a promise to do better (51: 13-17), and finally, an intercession for his people (51: 18 and 19).

Psalm 51 offers a perfect example of how Christians ought to pray for God's forgiveness when they have transgressed against God and their fellow men. This text presents the salient theological themes in Psalm 51, and the different strategies employed by the Psalmist in his quest for forgiveness and restoration. Main Themes The Nature of Sin David describes sin using such words as 'transgression,' 'sin', and 'iniquity'.

This variety of descriptions advances the theme that the nuances of sin cannot be limited to one or two descriptive words because sin is a product of not only actions, but also thought, disposition, and will (Vonk, 1995). It affects the whole being, and, therefore, no part of the human body is immune from the effects it produces (verse 6). Another key theme, evident from verse 5, is that sin is part of human existence right from the time of birth (Vonk, 1995).

However as David points out in verse 6, truth is also part of existence, and the choice to seek truth and repentance is a responsibility that lies on each individual's shoulders. A third salient theme is that sin is a wrongdoing committee against God (verse 4). David had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, but his ultimate sin was against God. Whenever we sin, therefore, we transgress against God, and refuse to be obedient to Him (Vonk, 1995).

The Consequences of Sin David portrays sin as having grave consequences including pervasive guilt (verse 3), depression (evident in David's plea to have his joy returned, verse 8), anticipation of condemnation/judgment (verse 4), a sense of being imprisoned or crushed by our actions (verse 8), fear of God's abandonment (verse 11), an inability to worship truly and reverently (evident from David's declaration that sacrifices and rituals are, by themselves, not sufficient, in verse 16), and a sense of deadness (evident from David's cry in verse 10 to have God create and breathe into him again).

The Holy Spirit, who lives inside every Christian, convicts them to experience these feelings of intolerance and guilt as a result of sin just as David did. The Divine Solution This is the central theme of this Psalm -- in verse 1, David describes God as a compassionate God with unfailing love for those who have declared His acceptance.

Filled with compassion and love for us, therefore, God erases, washes away, and cleanses our sins; and restores the perfect image, which basically means life, acceptance, peace with God, freedom, and ability to worship in spirit and truth. This is, however, only the case if we acknowledge and confess our sins as David did (David, 2004). When we acknowledge the depth of our sins in confession and bow before God with humble honesty, He takes way the guilt of sin and forgives us, regardless of the degree of sin.

Ways by Which David Deals with his Guilt David employs a number of strategies in his quest for forgiveness and restoration. First, he appeals to God's forgiving and compassionate character. David, like any other human being, understands that he does not deserve God's forgiveness; however, by calling upon God's character of love and compassion (verse 1), and asking for purity, pardon, and renewal, he is able to win God's heart as a reader and follower of His word.

God declares in Exodus 34:6 that He is a gracious and compassionate God who forgives sin; appealing to His known merciful character, therefore, symbolizes one's knowledge of His word. Secondly, David looks beyond his physical actions, to the inside -- his heart (Ellison, 1995). He recognizes in verse 4, that he had sinned not only against Bathsheba and Uriah, but also against the Lord that he purported to love; as a result, his heart had been denied peace.

By understanding and accepting that sinfulness comes from the heart, one is able to compare their sinfulness with God's desires, and to consequently, make the right and appropriate prayer for restoration given that only God has the power to clean a man's heart and cleanse it from sin. In verse 6, David recognizes that God desires truth in the inner person (the heart); for this, he prays that God create in him a pure heart and willing spirit (verse 10) so that he may forever.