Daily Bible Verse - 2/6/2008 - Psalm 51:1

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1

Commentary
O God! I ask for Your mercy! I deserve to be punished. But You are a God of lovingkindness and on that basis I ask that You not treat me the way I deserve. Your mercies are super-abounding and because of that I dare to ask that You erase my awful violations of Your holy law.

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ps 51:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Did you know?
This is the classic passage in the OT on man's repentance and God's forgiveness of sin. Along with Ps. 32, it was written by David after his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, her husband (2 Sam. 11-12). It is one of 7 poems called penitential psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). To David's credit, he recognized fully how horrendous his sin was against God, blamed no one but himself, and begged for divine forgiveness.

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ps 51:1). Nashville: Word Pub.

Daily Bible Verse - 2/5/2008 - 1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3:9

Commentary
A person to whom God has given undeserved blessings instead of judgment, should seek the blessing he will receive when giving a free gift of forgiveness to someone who has wronged him (cf. v. 21; Matt. 18:21-35).

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (1 Pe 3:9). Nashville: Word Pub.

Did you know?
This whole Epistle (1 Peter) is written against a backdrop of persecution and suffering. From this verse to 4:6 the subject is the Christian and his relation to persecutors. Repeatedly, believers are urged to suffer for righteousness' sake without retaliating.

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (1 Pe 3:9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.