Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
David’s plea isn't just about feeling bad; he asks to be delivered from "bloods" (the Hebrew is plural!) because the intensity and multiplicity of his sin, particularly the shedding of Uriah's blood and its ripple effects, feel like a crushing weight. He knows only the "God of my salvation" can lift this burden, allowing his tongue to then freely sing of God's faithful goodness in providing deliverance.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this psalm, David is in deep repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah. He's poured out his heart, confessing his transgressions and pleading for God's mercy. This verse follows his prayer for cleansing and a renewed spirit, where he vows to teach others God's ways if he is forgiven.
David's plea isn't just for general forgiveness, but a very specific kind of deliverance. What does 'bloodguiltiness' truly mean in this context?
The Hebrew word used here, often translated as 'bloodguiltiness,' is in the plural form, sometimes rendered as 'bloods.' This isn't a minor detail.
David cries out to a specific name of God. Why is this name so crucial in his moment of deepest despair?
David addresses God as 'O God of my salvation.' This isn't just a title; it's an anchor of hope rooted in God's character and covenant faithfulness.
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What happens after David is delivered? His prayer anticipates a transformation from silence to song. What does this tell us about true repentance?
David's prayer isn't just about escaping punishment; it's about reclaiming his voice for God's glory. The anticipated outcome of deliverance is a profound expression of worship.
Understand the original words
damim · Hebrew Noun
The guilt or moral responsibility incurred by taking human life. It represents a severe stain of sin that requires God’s atonement and cleansing for the offender to be restored to communion.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
God’s attribute of moral perfection and faithfulness to His covenant promises. In the context of salvation, it refers to His justice being satisfied and His faithfulness in justifying those who repent.
This verse is steeped in the deep personal crisis David faced after his sin with Bathsheba and the orchestrated death of Uriah. His desperate plea for deliverance from 'bloodguiltiness' highlights how profoundly the weight of this specific, life-ending sin impacted him, beyond just general wrongdoing.
c. 1010 BC
David commits adultery with Bathsheba
While his army fought in battle, King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his loyal soldiers.
c. 1010 BC— this verse
David arranges Uriah's death
To cover up his sin, David orchestrated a plan to have Uriah killed in battle, making it appear as an accident of war.
c. 1010 BC
Nathan confronts David
The prophet Nathan bravely confronted David with a parable, exposing his sin and delivering God's judgment against him and his household.
c. 1010 BC
David confesses and repents
After Nathan's prophecy, David composed Psalm 51, a profound expression of repentance, sorrow, and a plea for forgiveness for his sins, including the bloodshed.
This passage provides the historical context for David's sin, detailing his adultery with Bathsheba and his orchestration of Uriah's death, which is the specific 'bloodguiltiness' he pleads for deliverance from.
Psalms 32:1-5This psalm, also attributed to David, speaks directly to the experience of unconfessed sin, highlighting the torment of guilt and the blessedness of forgiveness, paralleling David's deep distress and desire for relief in Psalm 51.
Isaiah 6:5-7This prophetic vision shows Isaiah's overwhelming sense of uncleanness and sin in God's presence, leading to a cleansing act that is reminiscent of David's plea for purification from guilt before he can offer acceptable praise.
Romans 5:8-9This New Testament passage articulates the core of God's salvation through Christ's sacrifice, explaining how believers are declared righteous and reconciled to God despite their sins, offering a theological framework for the 'righteousness' David longs to sing about.
gillPsalms 51:14: "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."
Deliver me from blood guiltiness,.... Or "from bloods" (q); meaning not the corruption of nature; see Ezekiel 16:6 ; though to be rid of that, and to be free from the guilt and condemnation of it, is very desirable, Romans 7:24 ; but either from capital punishment in his family, the effusion of blood and slaughter in it, threatened him on account of his sin, 2 S…
clarkePsalms 51:14: "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness - This is one of the expressions that gives most color to the propriety of the title affixed to this Psalm. Here he may have in view the death of Uriah, and consider that his blood cries for vengeance against him; and nothing but the mere mercy of God can wipe this blood from his conscience. The prayer here is earnest and energet…
David’s plea isn't just about feeling bad; he asks to be delivered from "bloods" (the Hebrew is plural!) because the intensity and multiplicity of his sin, particularly the shedding of Uriah's blood and its ripple effects, feel like a crushing weight. He knows only the "God of my salvation" can lift this burden, allowing his tongue to then freely sing of God's faithful goodness in providing deliverance.
In this psalm, David is in deep repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah. He's poured out his heart, confessing his transgressions and pleading for God's mercy. This verse follows his prayer for cleansing and a renewed spirit, where he vows to teach others God's ways if he is forgiven.
In this psalm, David is in deep repentance after his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of Uriah. He's poured out his heart, confessing his transgressions and pleading for God's mercy. This verse follows his prayer for cleansing and a renewed spirit, where he vows to teach others God's ways if he is forgiven.
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness." — David’s plea isn't just about feeling bad; he asks to be delivered from "bloods" (the Hebrew is plural!) because the intensity and multiplicity of his sin, particularly the shedding of Uriah's bl…
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Last reviewed October 2026