Psalm 51 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
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For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
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Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
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Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
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Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [a] ; you teach [b] me wisdom in the inmost place.
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Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
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Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
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Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
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Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
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Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
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Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 13
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O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
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You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
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The sacrifices of God are [c] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
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In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
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Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar. New International Version
You and I can’t enter into God’s process of confession and brokenness until we know and experience how faithful and merciful God’s love is toward us. God says, “I created you, redeemed you and called you by name. You are mine.” (Isaiah 43) David understood this message: “Generous in love — God, give grace! Huge in mercy — wipe out my bad record.” (Psalm 51) Be still and meditate on this truth. Now ask the Holy Spirit to show you the truth of your sins. When this knowledge hits you hard, and it will, pray like David did after his affair with Bathsheba: “You’re the One I’ve violated, God, and you’ve seen it all to the full extent of my evil. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.” (Psalm 51) Be still and meditate on this truth. David prayed, “Going through the motions doesn’t please you, God, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.” (Psalm 51:16) You and I, too, can pray, “God, shatter that awful, I-can-handle-my-life-myself-pride.” In her book, “Praying God’s Word,” Beth Moore writes: Pride says, “I am a cheater. I cheat you of your God-given destiny… because you demand your own way. I cheat you of contentment… because you ‘deserve better than this.’ I cheat you of knowledge… because you already know it all. I cheat you of healing because you are too full of pride to forgive. I cheat you of holiness… because you refuse to admit you’re wrong. I cheat you of vision… because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.” Be still and meditate on this truth. So what do we do? We find the answer with David again: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51) When we humble ourselves in repentance before the Lord, He lifts us up. Meditate on that picture – God’s hand lifting you up – to love you – to give you His purpose – to walk beside you all the way. Eventually, in time, we might pray: Lord, may we bring an end to ourselves – our work, our plans and our self-reliance, so You can truly begin. As we fast and pray and confess our desperate need for the power of Your Spirit and the resources of heaven, may You be magnified and may others be drawn to You. (from Radical by David Platt) Passages of Scripture are taken from the NIV and The Message.
Taylors First Baptist Church 200 West Main Street . Taylors, SC 29687 864-244-3535 . www.taylorsfbc.org 6.2010