This is a Psalm of David a combination of prayer and meditation written in his old age as there is a reference of the sins of his youth. Also this is one of the penitential (of repentance) Psalm and it portrays how the sorrows of a believer bring him/her closer to God through confession.

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Many Psalms speak about physical enemies but it would do us good if we can see the enemies tormenting our mind in the form of temptations. In this Psalm we see David resisting physical, emotional and spiritual attacks by putting his trust in God’s salvation extended to him.

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David is lifting his soul to the heavenly place. Prayer is nothing but our hearts rising from earth into a fellowship with heaven, leaving all the cares below and meeting with a covenanted God above. Faith and grace are two inevitable components for this experience. Spurgeon has said: “Let faith be the lever and grace be the arm” …that causes our hearts to rise like eagles into His presence. (Isaiah 40:31).

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David makes an appeal to God, not to remember the sins of the youth. Sin is the stumbling block in a man’s life. If we can remember with repentance God will forgive and forget it. But if we forget to repent then only judgment awaits us.

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The author cries out to God thus in Psalm 51:3,4 “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned…” He realizes that the sin is against God Himself. David’s sin is referred in 2 Samuel 11. He emphasizes that without true repentance, God will not be delighted in sacrifice (Psalm 51:16). The true sacrifice before God is a broken and contrite heart!

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We cannot please God with our outward actions if our inward attitude is not right. He looks deep into the heart. Remember no sin is too great to be forgiven. David’s true repentance brought him spiritual healing although he had to face the physical consequence. Later on David wrote in Psalm 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven…”  Forgiveness help us to experience the true joy of salvation as God’s judgment of sin was satisfied by Christ’s death on the Cross.

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Today as you read this, do you really feel sorry for your sins? Will you take measures to repent, stop sin and receive God’s forgiveness? Then you will enjoy God’s constant presence and fellowship in your life!

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     Thought for the Day:  "The recognition of sin is the beginning of salvation."   -Martin Luther