Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
David isn't just saying he was born with a tendency to sin; he's emphasizing that his very creation was intertwined with iniquity. The Hebrew word used for "shapen" (or "born") carries a sense of being brought forth with pains, suggesting that from the very moment of his existence, sin was the painful, defining force shaping him. This isn't an excuse, but a profound confession of how deeply ingrained sin is in our very being.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
David, in the depths of repentance for his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, confesses not just his outward actions, but the deep-seated corruption within him. He acknowledges that this profound inner depravity, evident in his terrible sins, stretches back to the very beginning of his existence, indicating a universal human condition of inherited sinfulness. This realization humbles him, fueling his plea for God's mercy and purification.
When we confess our sins, do we just confess the bad things we've done, or something deeper?
David's words here, 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me,' aren't just about his personal failures. He's talking about a fundamental truth of human existence: we are born with a natural inclination toward sin.
This isn't about blaming our parents or saying we have no responsibility. Instead, David is acknowledging that sin isn't just something we do, but something that's part of our very nature from conception. It’s the underlying condition that makes us prone to stray from God's path.
Does acknowledging our sinful nature mean we're off the hook for our actions?
David’s confession in Psalm 51:5 is profound because it’s not an attempt to excuse his actions. In fact, recognizing his inherited sinfulness deepens his sense of guilt and need for God’s mercy.
He’s not saying, 'I couldn't help it because I was born this way.' Instead, he’s saying, 'Because I am fundamentally flawed, my actions are even more serious, and my need for divine intervention is even greater.' This is a powerful model for us: owning our inherited sinfulness should lead to humility and a deeper reliance on God, not to self-justification.
Understand the original words
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emeth · Hebrew Noun
Refers to reliability, faithfulness, and sincerity. It represents a reality that aligns with God's character and requirements for His people.
tuchoth · Hebrew Noun
The innermost part of a person, often contrasted with outward appearance. It refers to the seat of thoughts, emotions, and moral character.
chokmah · Hebrew Noun
A skill in living, specifically the ability to discern and act according to God's will and moral order. It is often linked to the fear of the Lord.
This psalm is deeply personal, reflecting King David's profound remorse after his sin with Bathsheba. The historical context of his reign and the specific events surrounding his transgression are crucial for understanding his confession of inherent sinfulness, tracing it back even to his conception and birth.
c. 1040 BC— this verse
David's Birth
David is born to Jesse and his mother, whose name is debated but is implied to be honorable in scripture.
c. 1010 BC
David's Reign as King
David becomes king of Israel, leading the nation through a period of significant expansion and military success.
c. 1010 BC
David's Adultery with Bathsheba
While his army is at war, David commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. He then arranges for Uriah's death in battle to cover his sin.
c. 1010 BC
Nathan Confronts David
The prophet Nathan confronts David with a parable, leading David to confess his sin. This psalm is traditionally understood as David's prayer of repentance following this confrontation.
This verse from the story of Noah's flood acknowledges that 'the inclination of the human heart is evil from its youth,' directly supporting the idea of an innate propensity to sin mentioned in Psalm 51:5.
Job 14:4Job's question, 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?' resonates with David's lament about his sinful origin, highlighting the inherited nature of sinfulness across generations.
Romans 5:12Paul explains how sin and death entered the world through one man (Adam), a foundational New Testament concept that underscores the universal experience of inherited sin described in Psalm 51:5.
Romans 7:18Paul's declaration, 'I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh,' echoes David's deep self-awareness of his inherent corruption, showing how the struggle with one's sinful nature is a consistent theme in Scripture.
Ephesians 2:3This passage describes all people as 'by nature children of wrath,' aligning with Psalm 51:5's assertion of being born into a state of sin, emphasizing that this is the common human condition apart from God's grace.
gillPsalms 51:5: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity,.... This cannot be understood of any personal iniquity of his immediate parents; since this respects his wonderful formation in the womb, in which both he and they were wholly passive, as the word here used is of that form; and is the amazing work of God himself, so much admired by the psalmist, Psalm 139:13 ; and cannot design any sinfulness then infused into him by his Make…
cambridgePsalms 51:5: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."
5 . Behold, I was shapen ] Better, Behold, I was born. Acts of sin have their root in the inherited sinfulness of mankind. It does not appear, as some have thought, that the Psalmist pleads the sinifulness of his nature as an excuse for his actual sins. Rather, in utter self-abasement, he feels compelled to confess and bewail not only his actual sins, but the deep infection of his whole nature ( Job 14:4 ; Ro…
David isn't just saying he was born with a tendency to sin; he's emphasizing that his very creation was intertwined with iniquity. The Hebrew word used for "shapen" (or "born") carries a sense of being brought forth with pains, suggesting that from the very moment of his existence, sin was the painful, defining force shaping him. This isn't an excuse, but a profound confession of how deeply ingrained sin is in our very being.
David, in the depths of repentance for his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, confesses not just his outward actions, but the deep-seated corruption within him. He acknowledges that this profound inner depravity, evident in his terrible sins, stretches back to the very beginning of his existence, indicating a universal human condition of inherited sinfulness. This realization humbles him, fueling his plea for God's mercy and purification.
David, in the depths of repentance for his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, confesses not just his outward actions, but the deep-seated corruption within him. He acknowledges that this profound inner depravity, evident in his terrible sins, stretches back to the very beginning of his existence, indicating a universal human condition of inherited sinfulness. This realization humbles him, fueling his plea for God's mercy and purification.
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart." — David isn't just saying he was born with a tendency to sin; he's emphasizing that his very creation was intertwined with iniquity. The Hebrew word used for "shapen" (or "born") carries a sense of b…
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Last reviewed October 2026