Psalms 51:15

“O Lord, open thou my lips, etc.] The Targum adds, “in the late”; which were shut with a sense of sin, with shame of it, and sorrow for it; and though they were in some measure opened in prayer to God for the forgiveness of it, as appears by various petitions in this psalm, yet he still wanted a free spirit and boldness at the throne of grace, which the believer has when his heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ; and especially his lips were shut as to praise and thanksgiving; the guilt of sin had sealed up his lips, that he could not sing the praises of God as he had formerly done; and only a discovery of pardoning grace could open them, and for this he prays: and…”

“open . . . lips--by removing my sense of guilt.”

“O Lord, open thou my lips - That is, by taking away my guilt; by giving me evidence that my sins are forgiven; by taking this burden from me, and filling my heart with the joy of pardon. The original word is in the future tense, but the meaning is well expressed in our common translation. There was, in fact, at the same time a confident expectation that God “would” thus open his lips, and a desire that he should do it. And my mouth shall show forth thy praise - Or, I will praise thee. Praise is the natural expression of the feelings when the sense of sin is removed. return to 'Top of Page'”

“My lips - Which are shut with shame and grief. Psalms 51:16”

“O Lord: Gen 44:16; Sa1 2:9; Eze 16:63; Mat 22:12; Rom 3:19 open: Exo 4:11; Eze 3:27, Eze 29:21; Mar 7:34 mouth: Psa 63:3-5, Psa 119:13; Heb 13:15 Psalms 51:16”