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Psalm 51:4
ESV Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
NIV Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
NASB Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.
CSB Against you--you alone--I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge.
NLT Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
KJV Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

What does Psalm 51:4 mean?

Although David had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, he saw his sin as primarily against God. He refers to his sin as evil in God's sight. Sin is never unseen by the eyes of a holy God. As Hebrews 4:13 points out, everything is "exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." God had clearly commanded Israel: "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:13–14). David had disobeyed God by violating both commandments.

David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had arranged for Uriah to be killed on the battlefield. Therefore, he had sinned primarily against God. Genesis 9:6 says, "whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." Murder, then, violates God's image. David acknowledged that God is just and always renders a correct verdict in matters involving evil (Psalm 51:4). He recognized that his fate rested in God's hands, and God would do the right thing.
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