Psalm 51/Speech Act/Summary

Speaker		Verses		Macro Speech Acts				Addressee
Psalmist /David		v. 1 For the music director. A psalm. By David.		Superscription (vv. 1–2)				God
		v. 2 When Nathan the prophet came to him, when he had had sexual intercourse with Bathsheba.
		v. 3 Show mercy to me, God, according to your loyalty; according to your abundant compassion wipe away my transgressions.		PLEA FOR CLEANSING (vv. 3–11)
		v. 4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin,		Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity!
		v. 5 because I am [continually] aware of my transgressions, and my sin is constantly in front of me.			Confession Against you alone I have sinned.
		v. 6 Against you alone I have sinned, and I have done what is evil in your eyes, such that you are in the right whenever you speak, [and such that] you are faultless whenever you judge.
		v. 7 Look, I was born in iniquity, and in guilt my mother conceived me.
		v. 8 Look, you desire truth in the covered places, and you make me know wisdom in the closed-off place.
		v. 9 [Would you please] purify me with hyssop, so that I will be clean; [would you please] wash me, so that I will be whiter than snow.
		v. 10 [Would you please] make me hear gladness and joy; [so that] the bones that you have crushed might rejoice.
		v. 11 Hide your face from my sins, and wipe away all my iniquities.
		v. 12 Create a clean heart for me, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.		PLEA FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION (vv. 12–17)
		v. 13 Do not cast me away from before you, and do not take your holy spirit away from me.		Create a clean heart for me, God!
		v. 14 Restore to me the gladness that results from your salvation, and [would you please] support me with a willing spirit.			Supporting statements I intend to teach transgressors your ways.
		v. 15 I intend to teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.
		v. 16 Deliver me from bloodshed, God, the God who saves me, [so that] my tongue will shout for joy about your righteousness.
		v. 17 Lord, [would you please] open my lips, so that my mouth will report praise concerning you.
		v. 18 For you do not delight in sacrifice[s], or else I would give [them]; you are not pleased with burnt offering[s].		PLEA FOR NATIONAL RESTORATION (vv. 18–21)
		v. 19 The sacrifices [acceptable to] God are broken spirit[s]; a broken and crushed heart, God, you do not despise.		Do good to Zion!
		v. 20 Do good to Zion in accord with what pleases you; [would you please] build the walls of Jerusalem.			Supporting statement The sacrifices (acceptable to) God are broken spirit(s) You will delight in right sacrifices
		v. 21 Then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offering[s] and whole offering[s]; then [people] will offer up bulls on your altar.