Psalm 51
Sunday, 26 January 2025
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. -Psalm 51:17
Psalm 51 is an outpouring of grief and confession of sin penned by King David when the prophet Nathan confronts him about adultery with Bathsheba and the ensuing events to it (2 Samuel 11 – 12:13). This Psalm expresses the state of the believer’s heart when we come before our Heavenly Father, confessing our wrongs and seeking to be set right with Him.
In this world, our human flesh is weak and if we let our guard down, or momentarily lose focus, we can easily get entangled in sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9). As we submit before the Lord and confess our shortcomings, with a humble and contrite heart, our sins are forgiven and we are cleansed by the blood of the Christ Jesus from all wickedness. Powerful emotions that a believer goes through in confessing his sin are emphasized in Psalm 51.
Acknowledgment of Sin: When David was confronted, he cries out before the Lord and acknowledges that he has sinned. “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Vs 4). As the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we should come before the Lord fully acknowledging our weakness, in the awareness that we have offended and hurt our Heavenly father.
Seeking God’s Forgiveness: Sin alienates us from God. As we repent of our shortcomings, let us seek God’s forgiveness. While we are fully aware that our actions deserve God’s judgment, let us in penitence plead for His mercy and grace. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).
Desiring Cleansing and Restoration: God alone can cleanse us of iniquity. When the Father forgives us, He restores us to a right standing with Him and we are able to enjoy fellowship with Him once again. As David cried out, let us beseech God to “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (Vs 12).
Leading Others to the Lord: As the Lord forgives and restores us, there should be a desire within us to witness and testify to others, that they may receive deliverance from God. A child of God shouldn’t keep quiet, when he knows that that his witnessing can bring a change in someone’s worldly life. We are called to “rebuild the ancient ruins, …raise up the age-old foundations; … to be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (Isaiah 58:12) and we are to embark upon this calling by leading others to Christ through our experiences.
A Sacrifice Offering: True confession comes from a broken spirit, from a crushed and humbled heart that understands the hurt caused by the grievous sin (Vs 17). God, who knows our thoughts and emotions, will not despise our honest confession. With His cleansing and restoration, let us make a conscious decision to “to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).
Let us examine our ways, repent of all shortcomings and seek His forgiveness. Allow Jesus to take full reign over us, that the walls of Jerusalem (our lives) may be built up by His presence and we may become a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
Prayer: Beloved Father, I humble myself in your mighty presence and confess that I have hurt you by my speech, thoughts and actions. I am truly sorry for my actions. Forgive and cleanse me by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I ask Jesus to reign over my life and the presence of the Holy Spirit to lead me continually. Amen
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