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Psalm 51:13
Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.
11Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.
14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.
Notice
“Then” links David’s promise to teach with his plea for restoration, showing a teacher who needs the same God he wants others to turn toward.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What do you notice about David asking for restoration before promising to teach God’s ways?
Write on thisWhat, if anything, have you learned about God’s ways from someone who has sought his forgiveness?
Write on thisConnect
Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Luke 22:32but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”David’s plea for restoration leads to teaching others; Jesus tells Peter to strengthen his brothers after turning again.
Acts 3:19“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,David anticipates sinners turning to God, while Peter urges his hearers to repent and turn again for their sins to be blotted out.
James 5:19–20Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,Both passages describe helping someone turn back: David through teaching God’s ways, James through turning back someone who wanders from truth.
Romans 12:7or service, let’s give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching;Teaching is the shared work: David promises to teach God’s ways, while Romans directs the teacher to attend to teaching.
Acts 26:18–20to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance …Both passages name turning to God as the aim, with Acts describing that turn as leaving darkness and Satan’s power.
John 21:15–17So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know …David promises to teach others God’s ways; Jesus tells Peter to care for his lambs.
2 Chronicles 17:7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;Both passages describe teaching others, though Chronicles names teachers sent to Judah’s cities and David names transgressors as his hearers.
Jeremiah 31:18“I have surely heard Ephraim grieving thus, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as an untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, for you are the …Turning to God is central to both: David anticipates sinners being converted, and Ephraim asks God to turn him.
Acts 15:3They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to …David looks ahead to sinners being converted to God; Acts reports the conversion of Gentiles and the joy that followed.
Acts 2:38–41Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the …David anticipates sinners turning to God, and Peter urges repentance in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness.
Zechariah 3:1–8He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the LORD’s angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.The connection is limited: both concern people before God, but Joshua facing an adversary differs from David promising to teach transgressors.
Psalm 19:7The LORD’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.Both link God’s instruction with change in people: sinners turn to God, souls are restored, and the simple become wise.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
David’s hope reaches beyond his own restoration to sinners turning to God. Even his promise to teach rests on the help he has asked God to give.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).