Psalms 51:5

"Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge."

Key Reflection

David acknowledges his sin as fundamentally against God alone, understanding that his transgression offends God's holiness. This confession sets the stage for his request for mercy and cleansing, reflecting a deep awareness of divine justice and his need for forgiveness.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity -The object of this important verse is to express the deep sense which David had of his depravity. That sense was derived from the fact that this was not a sudden thought, or a mere outward act, or an offence committed under the influence of strong temptation, but that it was the result of an entire corruption of his nature - of a deep depravity of heart, running back to the very commencement of his being. The idea is, that he could not have committed this offence unless he had been thoroughly corrupt, and always corrupt. The sin was as heinous and aggravated “as if” in his very conception and birth there had been nothing but depravity.

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