THE PRAYER OF a repentant murderer

King David took another man’s wife, got her pregnant, tried to cover it up and then, when all else failed, had her husband killed so he wouldn’t be found out.

How do you even begin to confess and find restoration from something like that? Did David grovel, plead and beg? Did he promise to do better? To make up for it somehow?

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.” David knew he deserved God’s justice, but he asked Him for mercy. He didn’t try to minimise or justify his sin; he agreed with God completely about the awfulness of what he’d done. And he knew that God is able to forgive even the very worst of sins.

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it,” David continued. He didn’t try to bargain with God; he simply came to the Lord for cleansing, for forgiveness, for healing, for restoration, for renewed delight in salvation . . . and without anything to offer in return.

Guilt and shame are heavy weights in our hearts; but God’s grace is bigger. There’s only one thing required for us to be cleaned whiter than snow. Confess your sin with David and discover that what God seeks is your heart.