#731 Contrite Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!


3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.


7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar. Psalm 51 ESV

This is a Psalm of David after being confronted by the Prophet Nathan for his sin with Bathsheba. 

The Sin preceding

More context 2 samuel 12

This is my own prayer, the prayer of everyone that comes to realize the position they are in, in debt beyond their ability to ever pay, beyond the accumulative effort, riches and lives of all the world combined. There is nothing in a fallen world that can satisfy a Holy God, nor justify a sinner. The mask has been removed, Nathan has confronted David with the truth he has been running from, but as all the saints who have ever believed, who have ever been justified, they came to it by faith in the mercy of God, as trespassers with no excuses left to offer.

Have mercy on me - This is not the prayer of the proud. Standing before an all consuming fire, this is not the time for stoicism, this is not man to man, but man to Maker of man, the king is now a beggar. Have mercy on me, he pleads, not for my own deeds, not because men call me the giant slayer or king, but for the sake of your steadfast love, because You are merciful. 

Cleanse me - This is what I bring to the table, all I have to offer, my filth. I cannot remove the stains upon my life, though in human wisdom I would like to sweep it under the rug, pretend it did not happen. 

Ever before me - No matter what others may see, or what excuses they may offer, I know the truth. You said thou shalt not kill, not commit adultery, and I have crossed one line after another, justified to myself every move, but now there is this void between us. 

Against You and You only have I sinned - Jesus said, "when you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." If there were no God then any religion would only be man to man, and account for only as much as men could find out or enforce. If there is a God and He has made men in His image, then every sin against any man is against God Himself. 

Justified in Your words - All have sinned, fallen short, David's actions only point to His inner condition, lost and depraved. From the fall this has been the gospel message that we will have to believe and rely upon the righteousness of another, that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Bathsheba and Uriah were the outward manifestations of David's sinful nature.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matthew 5: 21-22

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5: 27-29

I always use to laugh at that, "gouge it out", yet I realized later it was never my eyes that were the issue, it was my heart all along. We believe so much in the excuse that we can't help ourselves, it is natural, or it feels right, the devil made me do it, and truly if left in this state, we can't help ourselves, but faith believes in a God that can. Anything less than faith is sin.

5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1: 5-6

12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing,…Philippians 2: 12-14

Brought forth in iniquity - Spurgeon quote
“It is a wicked wresting of Scripture to deny that original sin and natural depravity are here taught. Surely men who cavil at this doctrine have need to be taught of the Holy Spirit what be the first principles of the faith.” (Spurgeon)

Purge me with Hyssop - This is a branch used by the priest, also used to paint the blood on the door post at Passover.

Create in me a clean heart - I need a new heart, the spiritually dead need to be regenerated. Only God can bring life to a dead soul. Call my still born spirit, Lazarus, "Lazarus come forth."

I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.…Ezekiel 36: 25-27

Do not cast me away from Your presence - My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me? The sinner cannot bear to stand here, but the saint, realizing he is a sinner, begs to be cleansed, to have a new heart, a right spirit. He wants not only words but sincerity. He wants to be changed, to be made worthy, by whatever means necessary, please God, not eternal separation, I know what I am now, don't leave me this way. 

Restore to me - Sin is separation from God, otherwise He cannot be Holy or Just, and even those who have believed in God, seen His salvation, when we fall we will know the pain of the Apostle Peter when thrice he denied his Lord, and then the rooster crowed. 

You do not desire sacrifice - Read the previous post on ritualism, Psalm 50 ties well to this here. 

I would give it - If that is all it took, if I had something to make this right than I would. A thousand bulls, ten thousand sheep, no, but it all belongs to You anyway, and I have stolen from You. Hail Mary's and incense, nor the sweat of my brow or the callous of my hands, You have not asked for these.

A broken and contrite heart: “This is opposed to that hard or stony heart, of which we read so oft, which signifies a heart insensible of the burden of sin, stubborn and rebellious against God, imminent and incorrigible.” (Poole)

Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4: 9-10

51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.…Luke 1: 51-53