Text of prayer Psalm 51
In Church Slavonic
Finally, it was time for David to come to Doik Edomite, and tell Saul, and say to him: David has come to the house of Abimelech.
1 Why do you boast in your wickedness, the mighty one? Lawlessness all day.
2 Thy tongue deviseth lies, for thou hast made flattery a cunning razor.
3 Thou hast loved evil more than goodness, rather than speak truth.
4 Thou hast loved all the words of the flood, a flattering tongue.
5 For this reason God will destroy you completely, will take you away, and will remove you from your village and your root from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear, and they will laugh at him and say:
7 Behold the man who has not put God as his Helper, but has trusted in the abundance of his riches, and what he can achieve through his vanity.
8 But as the olive tree bears fruit in the house of God, I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
9 We will confess to You forever, as You have done, and I endure Your name, for it is good in the sight of Your saints.
In Russian
For execution. David's teaching. When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, he said to him, “David has come to the house of Abimelech.”
1 Why do you boast in anger, O mighty one, of iniquity all day long?
2 Your tongue has devised lies, just as you have created deceit like a sharp razor.
3 You loved vice more than good, falsehood more than speaking the truth.
4 You have loved all destructive speech, a deceitful tongue.
5 Therefore God will destroy you completely; May He uproot you and remove you from your dwelling, and let your root be from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear, and they will laugh at him and say:
7 “Here is a man who did not make God his helper, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was strengthened by his vanity.”
8 But I, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have placed my hope in the mercy of God forever and ever.
9 I will praise You forever for what You have done, and I will trust in Your name, for it is good in the sight of Your saints.
Psalm 51 chapter 1 verse
Psalm 33 was spoken by David, “ when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he let him go, and he went away
"(1
Psalm of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech and was driven away from him and withdrew.
Ps. 33:1).
According to history, the present psalm should follow that one. The book of Kings says: “ There was one of Saul’s servants there that day before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, captain of Saul’s shepherds.
” (7 There was one of Saul’s servants there that day before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, captain of the shepherds Saul.1 Samuel 21:7).
This refers to the time when David came to the house of Abimelech and ate the showbread, taking it from the bishop; then he changed his face before Abimelech, and he let him go, and he went away. At that very time, it is said, one of Saul’s servants, Doeg the Syrian, was there tending Saul’s mules, who immediately went to Saul and said to him: “ I saw how the son of Jesse came to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, and he inquired about the Lord, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
And the king sent to call Ahimelech the son of Ahitub the priest, and all his father's house, the priests, which were in Nob; and they all came to the king ."
Then, by order of Saul, this same Doik “ attacked the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod;
and Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the sword; And men and women, and young men and children, and oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, he smote with the sword " (18 And the king said to Doik, “Go and kill the priests.” And Doik the Edomite went and attacked the priests, and slew that day eighty-five * men who wore a linen ephod;
//*In the Greek translation:
three hundred and five.1 Samuel 22:18, 19).
Having learned about the events that had taken place, David uttered these words, which do not constitute a song, a psalm, a hymn or anything like that. And could he, of course, sing songs or psalms on the occasion of the misfortune of so many priests? Therefore, in the inscription of the psalm there is no name; here it only says: “ for the end
” and “
for teaching
”, because the last words of the psalm are, namely: “
I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God: I have trusted in the mercy of God forever and ever
” (10 And I, like a green olive tree in the house of God, and I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever, Psalm 51:10) - contain some consolation.
So, when, while visiting Abimelech, David tasted sacred food, and as a result his taste changed, or, according to other interpreters, his character, then he praised and thanked God with these words: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be.” my mouth
" (2 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth. Ps. 33:2) and so on.
Now, when he learned about Doik’s betrayal and the devil’s destruction of so many priests, he turns to him with the following words: “ Why do you boast about malice, O strong one?
Lawlessness all day long ."
What is mentioned here is much earlier in time than the events of the fiftieth psalm, because it happened and was said during the life of Saul and before the accession of David. Much later, after the death of Saul and towards the end of his own reign, David brings the repentance contained in the 50th Psalm. But due to its connection with the 49th Psalm, which we have already explained, he placed this psalm before the others. Meanwhile, the psalms following the 50th, belonging to David, numbering twenty - from 51 to 70, in their content refer to other events, so, apparently, they were uttered during the life of Saul and before the accession of David. So the psalm we are considering was written during the life of Saul, “ when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him: David has come to the house of Abimelech
.”
Yes, and the fifty-third said (1 To the director of the choir. On stringed instruments
. The teaching of David, Ps. 53:1), “
when the Ziphites came and said to Saul: behold, has not David hidden among us?”
(19 And the Ziphites came to Saul in Gibeah, saying: behold, David is hiding with us in inaccessible places, in the forest, on the hill of Gachila, which is to the right of Jeshimon; 1 Sam. 23:19) In the same way, the fifty-fifth is written: “
when they held his foreigners in Gath
"(1
To the director of the choir. About the dove, silent in the distance. Scripture of David, when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
Ps. 56:1).
And this was precisely before David’s accession to the kingdom, during Saul’s lifetime. And the fifty-sixth is inscribed: “ when he
(David)
fled from Saul into the cave
” (1
To the director of the choir. Do not destroy. Scripture of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave.
Ps. 56:1).
In the same way, the fifty-eighth - “ when
”, says, “
Saul sent to keep his house to put it to death
” (1
To the director of the choir. Thou shalt not destroy. Scripture of David, when Saul sent to keep his house to put it to death.
Ps. 59:1) .
Further, the fifty-ninth psalm, although pronounced after the death of Saul, already during the reign of David, but still before his act with Uriah, which is clear from the inscription, in which the time is indicated as follows: “when he burned the Middle Valley of Syria and Syria of Soval, and Joab returned and smote Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand
"(1 To the leader of the choir. On the musical
instrument
of Shushan-Eduth. Scripture of David for study, 2 when he fought with Syria of Mesopotamia and with Syria of Zovan, and when Joab, returning, slew twelve thousand Edomites in the Salt Valley. Psalm 59:1-2).
This precedes in time the repentance of the fiftieth psalm. Finally, the sixty-second psalm was spoken by David - “ when he was in the desert of Judea
” (1
Psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Judea.
Ps. 62:1), while Saul was still alive.
And pay attention that almost all the psalms of the second part of the book of psalms of David, after the fiftieth, turn out to be spoken by him earlier, before the time of his act with Uriah. The first part of the book, from the first psalm to the forty-ninth, has a different character, because it refers to the events that followed the repentant fiftieth psalm. Thus, the third psalm was said by David, “ when he fled from Absalom his son
” (1 Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Ps. 3:1).
And he ran from his son after the event with Uriah. And in the sixth psalm he mourns the same crime, saying: “ I am weary with my groanings, every night I wash my bed, I water my bed with my tears
” (7 I am weary with my groanings: every night I wash my bed, with my tears I wet my bed. Ps. 6:7).
And the seventh - “ concerning the words of Hushai the son of Jemen
” (1
The song of lament that David sang to the Lord in the case of Husha, from the tribe of Benjamin.
Ps. 7:1), could have been said at the same time.
Hushai, David's closest friend, was then with Absalom. Further, the seventeenth refers to the last times of the life of David (1 To the leader of the choir. The servant of the Lord David, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord, when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
2 I will love you, O Lord, my strength! Psalm 17:1-2).
And the thirty-seventh is inscribed: “ in remembrance
” (1
Psalm of David. In remembrance [of the Sabbath].
Ps. 37:1) - and concludes the same thought as the sixth;
it even begins with the same words: “ Lord!
Do not rebuke me in Your wrath, and do not punish me in Your wrath .”
Thus, this psalm also precedes the fiftieth psalm in expressing the same repentance, both in other respects, and in that it says: “ My iniquities have gone beyond my head, like a heavy burden have weighed me down.
My wounds have become stinking and rotten because of my foolishness ” (5 for my iniquities have gone beyond my head, like a heavy burden weighed down on me, Ps. 37:5, 6).
However, you yourself, having taken up this matter, can find that most of the psalms in the first part of the book were spoken after the event with Uriah, and those following the fiftieth precede the criminal case in time. Why, however, in accordance with the sequence of time, are not the first psalms placed in first place, and the later ones in second place, but the first ones, compiled during the life of Saul, appear in the second part of the book of psalms, and in the first part - the later ones? time. I think that this order was adopted for the purpose of not moving from better to worse, because few psalms are precisely signed: “ to the end
”, “
do not destroy
” (1
To the director of the choir. Do not destroy. Scripture of David, when he ran away from Saul to the
cave
Ps .
In general, the sad ones are put in first place, so that the more joyful ones can be left in second place, so that (the impression of) the worst ones would be redeemed and smoothed out thanks to the good ones that follow them. It is plausible that David himself wanted to somewhat diminish his later sin by comparison with his previous exploits. Or maybe someone will say that with great foresight he put his penitential psalms in the first place, since “The righteous man is the first to criticize himself
” (18 The first in his litigation is right, but his opponent comes and examines him. Proverbs 18 :18). However, we have already sufficiently discussed the indicated order (of the Psalms); Now it’s time to move on to the above words of the fifty-first psalm.
Source
Commentary on Psalm 51. PG 23, 441-452. In PG 55, 589-593 placed among the works attributed to St. John Chrysostom (Spuria), Russian translation - in the collection of works of St. John.
History of writing
During the period of King Saul’s persecution of David, who was still young but crowned king by the Lord, the latter wrote several songs. Psalm 51 is an expression of hope in moments of despair, when many sought the death of David, slandered him and accused him without any reason. The song was written after the high priest Abimelech sheltered David, not knowing what dangers followed on the heels of the young man. Doik the Edomite betrayed Abimelech and denounced him, which was a blow not only for the high priest, who had only shown himself to be a hospitable host, but also for David, who had a hard time experiencing the sorrows of others.
Publication by the successors of A.P. Lopukhin. Explanatory Bible. Interpretation of the Psalter
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Psalm 51
The reason for writing the psalm is indicated in Art. 2. This is Doik’s denunciation of the high priest Ahimelech for the hospitality the latter showed David.
Why do you boast about your denunciation, which involves deceit and brings evil (3-6)? For this, the Lord will punish you, tear you away from the land of the living and, using your example, will clearly show the ruin of trusting only in your own strength, and not in God (7-9). But I, for my faith in God, will be like a green olive tree, for which I will glorify Him (10-11).
1 To the director of the choir. Teachings of David, 2 after Doeg the Edomite came and reported to Saul and told him that David had come to the house of Ahimelech. 3 Why do you boast of wickedness, O mighty one? God's mercy is always with me;
2-3. David calls Doik's denunciation of Saul a crime because he aimed to accuse Ahimelech of helping David as an enemy of his king, that is, of sympathizing with the rebel and complicity with the latter. In this case, he deliberately misinterpreted the act of Ahimelech, who did not know the history of David’s real flight and, if he took part in him, was guided by the sacred custom of hospitality, and not by villainous intent against his king; Doik's denunciation, as the death of an innocent, was a crime. - “The mercy of God is always with me.” David believes that the Lord will not leave him as his protection and Doik’s denunciation, designed to harm David, will be ineffective.
4 Your tongue concocts destruction; like a sophisticated razor, you have it, insidious! 5 You love evil more than good, lies more than telling the truth; 6 You love all kinds of destructive speech, a deceitful tongue: 7 Therefore God will completely crush you, tear you down and uproot you from [your] home, and your root from the land of the living.
7. “Therefore God will completely crush you” is an indefinite expression, indicating either his complete destruction on earth, his loss of his external well-being and the death of his offspring (“a root from the land of the living”), or eternal death and condemnation by God, when Doik will be deprived of closeness to God, eternal life before Him (“the land of the living,” i.e., the righteous), and will descend into the land of oblivion, in Sheol.
8 The righteous will see and be afraid, they will laugh at him [and say]: 9 “Behold, the man who did not trust his strength in God, but hoped for the abundance of his wealth, was strengthened in his wickedness.” 10 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, and I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever,
10. “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.” The wicked will perish, but David's position will be strong and good, like a tree that grows green with plenty of moisture. David finds this power for his prosperity “in the house of God,” that is, from God who dwells in the tabernacle.
11 I will forever praise You for what You have done, and I will trust in Your name, for it is good in the sight of Your saints.
Interpretation of David's Psalm 51
The main idea of the psalm is a simple truth - sinners will always be punished, and the righteous will be saved. To interpret Psalm 51, one should examine the content and meaning of each verse:
- Verse 1-2 - it says that Doik has planned something terrible and shameful, but sees in this his strength and advantage;
- Verse 3-5 – for sinful thoughts and deeds, Doik will be “destroyed” by the Lord;
- Verse 6-7 - the righteous will see in his punishment an example for themselves, a fate that will overtake all sinners;
- Verse 8-9 – David entrusted himself to the Lord, like all the righteous, and found salvation and true good in him. He promises to always glorify and praise God.
Reading rules
There are no written rules or clear prohibitions for the prayers and songs of the Psalter, but there are still key points that should be known and observed when reading Psalm 51. Firstly, you need to turn to the Lord sincerely, renouncing worldly concerns, for example, when reading a prayer, do not It’s worth remembering whether all planned tasks have been completed. Secondly, it is recommended to read a prayer in front of the icon, as this helps to focus on the words and face of God. Services in churches and temples are conducted in Old Church Slavonic, but at home you can read Psalm 51 in Russian. It is not necessary to learn the text by heart, but you need to know its meaning and purpose.
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