Psalm 51
What struck me first upon rereading this psalm is that it is so contemporary. There are almost no spots where I cannot simply use these words as a confession and prayer for myself. I haven't committed adultery or had anyone killed, but I am no less a sinner in need of forgiveness and mercy.
David begins with a call for mercy based on God's love and compassion. Mercy by definition is unearned, and certainly David has done nothing special to deserve special consideration... or has he? He is King of Israel -- a man after God's own heart. He has been incredibly blessed by God, yet still he has sinned horribly. Murder and adultery were each punishable by death in the OT law. David knows he has no legal leg to stand on. Maybe this helps him turn to God for mercy. Maybe it makes it tougher. But forgiveness is what he seeks from a merciful God.
David confesses his sinfulness before Him in verses 3-6. David is fully aware of his sin. He knows he will never forget what he has done. His sin has been against God and God alone. That is interesting in that I would think that Uriah would have been sinned against as well as the entire nation of Israel. But David's point is that all sin is an offense against God. David's sinfulness has been there sin birth -- before that, if you take David's words literally.
He asks to be cleansed beginning with verse 7. Change hyssop to soap and again this passage is so contemporary. In verse 8 David asks to hear joy and gladness. The guilt of his sin has kept all joy from him. Nothing else can take away the pain except for forgiveness. He cannot move on or keep his mind on other things. Yet he asks God to do that... to hide His face from David's sin.
David takes the next step in verse 10, asking for a new, fresh start. Create in me means that he wants a new beginning -- a do-over, with the first attempt permanently erased. There are still consequences for David's actions, but in God's sight there is forgiveness and a clean slate. David asks God not to leave him in any fashion, including the removal of the Holy Spirit. He wants the joy of his salvation back and a new resolve to keep him from sinning again.
In return, David will teach other siners to do right and to repent. There is no better teacher than one who has learned by experience. Offerings are not the answer. It is not atoning works that we are called to do. Jesus has done that, and even in David's time he knew that what God wanted was a change of heart and a broken, contrite spirit. This is what David was presenting to God.
The psalm concludes with a prayer for Jerusalem and Israel. David wants to do a good job for God, after all it was God who placed him in the throne of authority over His people.
David begins with a call for mercy based on God's love and compassion. Mercy by definition is unearned, and certainly David has done nothing special to deserve special consideration... or has he? He is King of Israel -- a man after God's own heart. He has been incredibly blessed by God, yet still he has sinned horribly. Murder and adultery were each punishable by death in the OT law. David knows he has no legal leg to stand on. Maybe this helps him turn to God for mercy. Maybe it makes it tougher. But forgiveness is what he seeks from a merciful God.
David confesses his sinfulness before Him in verses 3-6. David is fully aware of his sin. He knows he will never forget what he has done. His sin has been against God and God alone. That is interesting in that I would think that Uriah would have been sinned against as well as the entire nation of Israel. But David's point is that all sin is an offense against God. David's sinfulness has been there sin birth -- before that, if you take David's words literally.
He asks to be cleansed beginning with verse 7. Change hyssop to soap and again this passage is so contemporary. In verse 8 David asks to hear joy and gladness. The guilt of his sin has kept all joy from him. Nothing else can take away the pain except for forgiveness. He cannot move on or keep his mind on other things. Yet he asks God to do that... to hide His face from David's sin.
David takes the next step in verse 10, asking for a new, fresh start. Create in me means that he wants a new beginning -- a do-over, with the first attempt permanently erased. There are still consequences for David's actions, but in God's sight there is forgiveness and a clean slate. David asks God not to leave him in any fashion, including the removal of the Holy Spirit. He wants the joy of his salvation back and a new resolve to keep him from sinning again.
In return, David will teach other siners to do right and to repent. There is no better teacher than one who has learned by experience. Offerings are not the answer. It is not atoning works that we are called to do. Jesus has done that, and even in David's time he knew that what God wanted was a change of heart and a broken, contrite spirit. This is what David was presenting to God.
The psalm concludes with a prayer for Jerusalem and Israel. David wants to do a good job for God, after all it was God who placed him in the throne of authority over His people.
posted by rev-ed @ 11:09 AM
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