Psalm 51/Notes/Lexical.v. 16.800487
The abstract plural דָּמִים is a technical term for bloodshed (usually violent) or the resulting culpability (i.e., "bloodguilt").[1] The theme of דָּמִים and its negative consequences for perpetrators permeates the David narratives.[2] In light of David's murder of Uriah, the reference to דָּמִים in Psalm 51 may be one of the main reasons why this psalm is associated with David and his affair with Bathsheba. The gloss "bloodshed" intentionally leaves open the question of whether דָּמִים refers to forgiveness for blood shed by the psalmist/David or the psalmist's deliverance from having his own blood shed (whether by enemies or by God in punishment for acknowledged sin).[3] Goldingay 1978 interprets the expression as the psalmist's attempt to avoid incurring bloodguilt for not calling out sinners as a watchman (cf. Ezek 3:17–19; 33:7–9), such that "he prays, 'deliver me from incurring blood- guilt.' He prays to be kept from becoming answerable for the death of other sinners by failing to challenge and invite them to return to God.'