Hello everyone.
In this blog post, I will be sharing insights from Psalm 51. Psalm 51 is the psalm that David wrote after his infamous sin with Bathsheeba. This psalm is a powerful testament to the exceedingly great and beautiful heart-work that God can do in the heart of ANY repentant person.
We humans all naturally have a sinful nature, which, when not under God’s control, leads us to give in to temptation and sin (Romans 8:5-9, and James 1:13-15). During a time when David temporarily lost his connection with God, he gave in to temptation and fell deeply into sin. You can read this account, as well as the account of how David became convicted of his sin and repented, in 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 12.
Psalm 51 gives us the opportunity to see the solemnity and bittersweet beauty of David’s wholehearted repentance towards God after this great sin.
Let us begin with Psalm 51:1-4:
“(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.) Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 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.” Psalm 51:1-4 (KJV)
In these verses, we can see that David believed in God mercy. We see that he recognized that, even after we have fallen hard, God is the right one to go to. He is the only One who can truly take away the guilt of sin from our hearts and make our hearts pure. David’s attitude of trust and humility towards God after committing a great sin against Him reminds me of this profound verse:
“I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.” Micah 7:9 (KJV)
Let us continue on in Psalm 51. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” Psalm 51: 5-8 (KJV)
In these verses, we can see that David recognized that he had a sinful nature to contend with. He also recognized that God wants to write His law in our hearts and that He can cleanse our hearts. (God’s law is full of both truth and wisdom, and He promises to cleanse our hearts and to write His law on our hearts. Ezekiel 36:24-28) He also recognized that God can restore joy even to a repentant heart that is broken because of the guilt of sin.
” Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:9-12 (KJV)
In these verses, we can see that David knew God’s character of forgiveness and love. He knew that God can indeed blot out sin, that He can indeed give us new hearts, and that He can indeed restore joy to a repentant heart. These verses remind me of Isaiah 44:22-23:
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.” Isaiah 44: 22-23 (KJV)
Let us now explore the last six verses of Psalm 51.
“Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” Psalm 51:13-19 (KJV)
We can see that David recognized that the forgiveness and transformation that God was giving him was so complete that he would once again be worthy to be a missionary for God: to be one who would teach others God’s ways and one who would be instrumental in their conversions. David also recognized that being delivered from guilt was a reason to praise God.
Furthermore, we can see that David recognized that God is after the heart. God can see through fake worship and professions of godliness springing from selfish motivations. What He greatly desires is the fellowship of those who seek Him with humble, open, honest, and surrendered hearts.
“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool*: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isaiah 66:1-2 (KJV)
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15 (KJV)
Continuing on in the last section of Psalm 51, we encounter David’s request for God to “build the walls of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 51:18) This request reminds me of Psalm 127:1, where it says;
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1 (KJV)
In Psalm 51:19, David concludes with a recognition that, as a result of the work of restoration that God does for His people, their worship becomes acceptable to Him. We see in Ezekiel 36 that God did a work of both temporal and spiritual restoration in the lives of His people. We can see in Ezekiel 36:24-28 that this restoration was begun and sustained by God Himself. There is a beautiful lesson to be learned from Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 51:18-19 ; healing, redemption, restoration, and acceptable worship towards God, begin with and are sustained by God. In order to experience what God has in store for us we must surrender to and cooperate with the only One who can redeem and restore our broken hearts and lives. Only with this experience can we worship God with pure hearts.
I hope that this small series, in which we have explored insights that we can have into David’s vulnerability and intimacy with God, has been encouraging and inspiring. Let’s press close to the Lord and find Him to be the tender, merciful, redeeming God that He is.
Learn and Grow 4ever 