Psalms 51:11 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Cast me not away. — This phrase is used of the formal rejection of Israel by the God of the covenant (2 Kings 13:23; 2 Kings 17:20; 2 Kings 24:20; Jeremiah 7:15). Its use here not only confirms the explanation of the notes above, but makes in favour of understanding the whole psalm of the community.

Take not thy holy spirit. — Commentators have discussed whether this means the spirit of office given to the king on his anointing (1 Samuel 16:13), or of grace, and Calvinists and Lutherans have made the text a battle-ground of controversy. Plainly, as the parallelism shows, the petition is equivalent to a prayer against rejection from the Divine favour, and is not to be pressed into any doctrinal discussion.

Psalms 51:11

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.