The Meaning of Psalms 51:2 Explained

Psalms 51:2

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

YLT: Thoroughly wash me from mine iniquity, And from my sin cleanse me,

Darby: Wash me fully from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

ASV: Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 51:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The biblical writers often compared a person"s deeds to the clothing he wears because that is what other people see when they look at us. David asked God to wash away his iniquity (moral evil) like dirt that was on his garment (behavior). Cleansing is a term that comes from the tabernacle ritual. Those who came into God"s presence to worship and serve Him had to be clean. David correctly viewed his sin (falling short of what God requires) as making the worship and service of a holy God impossible.
"In the Jewish society of that day, to wash and change clothes marked a new beginning in life ( Genesis 35:1; Genesis 41:14; Genesis 45:22; Exodus 19:10; Exodus 19:14), and David made such a new start ( 2 Samuel 12:20)." [1]

Context Summary

Psalm 51:1-10 - The Prayer Of The Contrite Heart
This psalm is a ladder which climbs from the horrible pit, with its miry clay, into the heights of sunny joy, where the song breaks from the forgiven penitent. Here is the cry of the lost sheep which has been torn by briers, harried by wild dogs, drenched in the morass, but which the shepherd has found and brought home rejoicing. This path has been worn by myriads of penitents. Psalms 51:17 was written on the wall of St. Augustine's cell.
There is no doubt as to the occasion or the authorship of this psalm. It abounds in references to 2 Samuel 11:1-27; 2 Samuel 12:1-31. It is remarkable that such a confession should have been handed to the chief musician; but the publicity thus given has made it a means of grace to myriads. Note the epithets for sin: transgression, "the violation of law;" iniquity, "crookedness from the straight line of rectitude;" sin, "missing the mark." However much God longs to forgive, He cannot, until confession is made. We must acknowledge our lapse from virtue! Blot out, as from a record; wash, as foul stains from linen; cleanse, as a leper by the touch of Christ. Our only plea is the multitude of God's tender mercies. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 51

1  David prays for remission of sins, whereof he makes a deep confession
6  He prays for sanctification
16  God delights not in sacrifice, but in sincerity
18  He prays for the church

What do the individual words in Psalms 51:2 mean?

- Thoroughly Wash me from my iniquity and from my sin cleanse me
הרבה [הֶ֭רֶב] (כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי) מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי

הרבה  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: אַב  
Sense: father.
[הֶ֭רֶב]  Thoroughly 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
(כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי)  Wash  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: כָּבַס  
Sense: to wash (by treading), be washed, perform the work of a fuller.
מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י  from  my  iniquity 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י  and  from  my  sin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
טַהֲרֵֽנִי  cleanse  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: טָהֵר  
Sense: to be clean, be pure.