I acknowledged my sin unto you, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
5. "I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that is, my unrighteousuess have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" (ver. 5); hearing the word of confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
Sin. Or as some psalters read, "of my heart "with the Septuagint, Cassiod. (Calmet)
"I know that thou wilt readily forgive the sins which are fully laid open before thee. "(St. Jerome)
David no sooner perceived that he was the unjust man (Haydock) whom Nathan had described, than he exclaimed, "I have sinned "and at the same moment God forgave him, 2 Kings xii. 7. (Calmet)
If this psalm relate to his repentance, it seems he had already had recourse to God; but this is doubtful, as he appears to have entered into himself only after the prophet's reproach. Nothing can more effectually give peace to the soul than an humble confession, which costs human pride a great deal, when it must be made to our brethren. (Berthier)
The Jews were sometimes obliged to confess to God's minister, Leviticus iv. 5., and Numbers v. 7. (Menochius)
