Good morning,
King David was a great man. He wrote many of the Psalms, was a leader of men, and God testified of him, “…I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill my will.” But David had a darker side. This week we will be looking at the circumstances that led up to David writing Psalm 51.
Today we will look at David’s Repentance (Psalm 51:1-12).
David’s heart is broken. He comes with a humble and repentant heart before God. He seeks reconciliation, mercy, and cleansing. He requests that God would restore to him a clean heart, gladness, and the joy of his salvation.
As you read these verses feel the heartache David is expressing.
David’s Repentance
Psalm 51:1-12
Repentance and request for mercy (1-4)
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Shapen in iniquity (5-6)
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Request for cleansing, joy, gladness, clean heart, God’s presence, the Holy Spirit, joy of salvation (7-12)
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
CHALLENGE
Unconfessed sin will cause you to wither away. We must deal with unconfessed sin in the same way David did. REPENT and sincerely, humbly, come to the foot of the cross and allow Jesus to deal with our sin. First John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
David’s prayer in Psalm 51 helps us to see what it means to repent and humble ourselves before God.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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