The context of this passage was David’s Mother’s sin

This passage was written during a period of intense sorrow and broken repentance after David was confronted by God’s prophet Nathan over his adultery with Bathsheba. The verse certainly bears no obvious connection to the sin of Adam and Eve. Instead, it is quite clear that David’s reference to sin and iniquity is aimed directly at his own mother. Most Christians are surprised to learn that traditional Jewish history holds the view that David was born as the result of an adulterous relationship on the part of his mother Nizbeth.

The Hebrew word normally used for “conceived” throughout Scripture is “harah” (Strong’s H2029) and simply means a woman becoming pregnant. However in this passage, David chose the Hebrew word “yacham” and it is an extremely strong and graphic one. It means the warmth of sexual desire, most often used to denote animals (cattle and sheep) conceiving in heat. (Strong’s H3179) This is the only verse in Scripture where “yacham” is used in reference to a woman becoming pregnant. Not a very pleasant word to use for the woman who birthed you, but it appears that David specifically chose it to convey the image of being conceived in the animal lust of his own mother. The historical tradition of David being illegitimate also finds support in the 69th Psalm. In one passage, David cries out to God:

“I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children…” (Psalm 69:8)

The word translated “stranger” (Strong’s H2114) comes from the same primitive Hebrew root word as “bastard.” (Strong’s H4464) It can also be translated “of another family” especially in regard to unlawful intercourse with an adulteress. This could very well explain why David felt like an alien to his own brothers. The 69th Psalm describes an innocent man who was rejected and considered an outcast. He was scorned and ridiculed by the people of his own community, and shamed and dishonored by those around him. (Psalm 69:11-12) If anything was stolen he was blamed and ordered to restore it. (Psalm 69:4) He was despised by all and pitied by none. He was given gall for food and vinegar for drink. (Psalm 69:19-21)

In 1 Samuel 16:11 it is interesting to note that Jesse did not have David present with his other sons when the prophet Samuel came to anoint the man whom God had chosen to be Israel’s next king. Later in 1 Samuel 17:28, David was publicly rebuked by his own brother, when all he had done was speak out against Goliath in the camp of the Israelites. That this was an established pattern of abuse by his brother is evidenced by David’s response in verse 29, “What have I done now?” These passages paint a picture of David as a young man who was shunned, despised, rejected, and treated with scorn and derision by family and community alike. If you are unfamiliar with the phrase, “Red-headed stepchild,” then Google it, because that is exactly how David was treated.

David was a broken man in a season of Godly Sorrow

David persisted in his innocence declaring that he was hated without cause (Psalm 69:4). History has shown that David was speaking truthfully and that this Jewish historical tradition is indeed a false one, for Matthew 1:6 declares that Jesse begat David the king. However this does not change the fact that these passages strongly suggest that David’s family and community did in fact, believe him to be that red-headed step-child, and they acted accordingly.

When you factor this information into your understanding of Psalm 51:5, you begin to see that this passage has nothing to do with man having a corrupted sinful nature because of Adam’s fall in the garden. David was not lamenting that he was born in sin, but rather that he was born into a sinful world. That is the meaning of the passage.

Why do various versions say something different?

Depending on the Bible version you read, you can get many different variations of this verse. This is a major reason why so many people understand this verse as a “proof text” teaching the doctrine of original sin.  (Read more on the Original Sin doctrine here)

NIV (New International Version) says: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

NLT (New Living Translation) says: “For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.”

NRS (New Revised Standard) says: “Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.”

The proper translation of this verse is in the KJV (King James Version): “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. And in sin my mother conceived me.”