Psalm 51 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Psalm 51 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

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King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

"In sin did my mother conceive me."
God considers women and sex to be sinful.
No, God does not consider women and sex to be sinful. God even gave a command that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, Gen. 2:24. And that was before the Fall.
What the psalmist says here is that because his progenitors were sinful, he is sinful as well. He was conceived by a man and a woman who were sinful, and so is he sinful. See also Job 14:4.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Wash me and I shall be made whiter than snow"
(Unknown, 12th Century)

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Thou delightest not in burnt offering.
If God "delightest not in burnt offerings", then why did he give detailed instructions for making burnt offerings in the first nine chapters of Leviticus?
Does God desire animal sacrifices?
The author of the SAB asks why God gave detailed instructions for burnt offerings if God is not delighted in them. Because those burnt offerings were not given so God could delight in them. They were given for us. They showed us that shedding of blood was required, Heb. 9:22: “without shedding of blood is no remission.” The daily sacrifices in the temple were a figure, Heb. 9:9, pointing towards Christ, who would come. The sacrifices were appointed for us, not for God.
But there is a second answer to this as well, offering some money to the church, but otherwise living in sin is not something God delights in, see chapter 40:6.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

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