Psa 51:7 | NET2full | STEP | Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be pure ; wash me and I will be whiter than snow .

‏ Psalms 51:7

7 Cleanse me ^{▼▼tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.} with hyssop ^{▼▼sn “Hyssop” was a small plant (see 1 Kgs 4:33) used to apply water or blood in purification rites (see Exod 12:22; Lev 14:4-6, 49-52; Num 19:6-18). The psalmist uses the language and imagery of such rites to describe spiritual cleansing through forgiveness.} and I will be pure; ^{▼▼tn After the preceding imperfect, the imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates result.}
wash me ^{▼▼tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.} and I will be whiter than snow. ^{▼▼sn I will be whiter than snow. Whiteness here symbolizes the moral purity resulting from forgiveness (see Isa 1:18).}