For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will no despise.
Psalm 51 captures the depth of David's anguish as he bears his soul over his sin with Bathsheba. It's a prayer that pleads for a restart, knowing that he has nothing in himself that can fix the blackness of his heart. As he stands before the One who "desires truth in the innermost being" (v6), he cries, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me," (v10). With nothing but an exposed and guilty heart, David takes hold of the one thing he knows about our God; the one and only truth that will save any soul, and that is that "a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will no despise". If we have sinned, there's no sense trying anything else. It's just plain foolishness to think we can make our case before the One who knows our case. Self-justification won't cut it. Excuses won't cut it. Self-righteousness won't cut it. Victimization won't cut it. Down-playing it won't cut it. Explanations won't cut it. Blame won't cut it. Sin has to be owned or it will never be dethroned. We must, like the Psalmist, with broken heart, call it what it is:"my transgressions" (v1), "my iniquity" (v2a), "my sin" (v2b), hanging our head in abject humility and honesty, saying "Against You, You only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight..." (v4). That's the "down-side" of repentance. But there's an "up-side", if you will, that we need to see. No sin is so hopeless that we're helpless. As dark and as deep as David's sin was, he didn't stay in its hole. He doesn't diminish his sin, but He knows who He's praying to and appeals to Him on the basis of His who He is and what He can do. This is a prayer that lifts the sinner from his sin and right into the possibilities of grace. Listen to his language:
Psalm 51 captures the depth of David's anguish as he bears his soul over his sin with Bathsheba. It's a prayer that pleads for a restart, knowing that he has nothing in himself that can fix the blackness of his heart. As he stands before the One who "desires truth in the innermost being" (v6), he cries, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me," (v10). With nothing but an exposed and guilty heart, David takes hold of the one thing he knows about our God; the one and only truth that will save any soul, and that is that "a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will no despise". If we have sinned, there's no sense trying anything else. It's just plain foolishness to think we can make our case before the One who knows our case. Self-justification won't cut it. Excuses won't cut it. Self-righteousness won't cut it. Victimization won't cut it. Down-playing it won't cut it. Explanations won't cut it. Blame won't cut it. Sin has to be owned or it will never be dethroned. We must, like the Psalmist, with broken heart, call it what it is:"my transgressions" (v1), "my iniquity" (v2a), "my sin" (v2b), hanging our head in abject humility and honesty, saying "Against You, You only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight..." (v4). That's the "down-side" of repentance. But there's an "up-side", if you will, that we need to see. No sin is so hopeless that we're helpless. As dark and as deep as David's sin was, he didn't stay in its hole. He doesn't diminish his sin, but He knows who He's praying to and appeals to Him on the basis of His who He is and what He can do. This is a prayer that lifts the sinner from his sin and right into the possibilities of grace. Listen to his language:
- Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions (v1).
- Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin (v2).
- Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (v7).
- Make me hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice (v8).
- Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities (v9).
- Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me (v10)
- Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me (v11).
- Restore to me the joy of Your salvation (v12).
- Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, God of my salvation (v14).
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