Psalm 51 is one of the Penitential Psalms combining confession of sin with a desire to repent – turning away from the sin and toward God.  In the first six verses there are four words or phrases for being bad:

-Transgressions (2 times)

-Iniquity (2)

-Sin (4)

-Done Evil (1)

Those several instances of man’s corrupt nature in the psalm are overwhelmed by the bounty of restoration words describing God’s activity in the confession and repentance process:

Mercy                                   Steadfast love

Wash                                     Cleanse

Justified                               Blameless

Truth                                     Wisdom

Clean                                     Joy

Gladness                             Renew

Right spirit                           Restore

Uphold                                 Deliver

Salvation                              Righteousness

Praise                                    Delight

Pleasure

We may think of Psalm 51 as man’s confession of his sin, but it is clearly much more about giving man an incentive to confess through God’s great work of redemption from those transgressions.