Text -- Psalms 51:7 (NET)

51:7 Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 51:7

¹ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

² tn Heb “cleanse me with hyssop.” “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water (or blood) in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18. The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.

³ tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.

⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.

⁵ sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).