Psalm 51
Brokenness, Psalm 51, 11 August 2024
Psalm 51: Brokenness
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
College First Church of God
August 11, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Our faithful God is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
Have you ever done something bad? Really bad? Can you think of a time when you were ashamed? Maybe you tried to cover it up, hoping nobody would notice. One of the greatest, most godly persons in history did more than a bad thing. His series of sins included lust, adultery, premeditated murder, possible rape, and lies…and he was still called a man after God’s own heart. That says a lot about King David, but even more about our merciful God.
Today we’re continuing our series on the Psalms, the songbook of the Bible. There are five sections in the psalms, and if you’ve been with us during the series, you may have noticed each psalm is quite different from the others. Those within the five groupings are similar, but thus far we’ve examined psalms about being rooted in God, a declaration about God as our fortress, and last Sunday a prophetic psalm with multiple, blatant references to Jesus the Messiah who would arrive hundreds of years later. Today’s text is quite somber, one of confession after David committed adultery with Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and had her husband murdered. Not a good sequence!
If you don’t know the story, you can read it in 2 Samuel chapters 11-12. Suffice it to say, David was in soapy bubbles, as my late mother-in-law used to say! He sinned badly, covered it up, was confronted by Nathan the prophet, and finally came clean.
Clean. That’s an appropriate word. I’m not sure if the cool kids say it today, but there used to be dirty words. One popular rock group sang of “dirty deeds done dirt cheap.” We’ve all experienced mud puddles, paint spills, playground activities, and other things that made us physically dirty. There’s nothing like a hot shower or a nice bath and that feeling of being clean. The same can be said spiritually. If you get nothing out of what I say today, please remember this:
Our faithful God is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
Our relationship with God and our eternal destiny is not based upon how “good” we are, but rather how “great” He is! It’s not about what we do, but about what Jesus has done on the cross. You’re not good enough to earn God’s favor. He doesn’t grade on a curve!
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9, NLT)
If God can forgive a liar, murderer, adulterer, and likely a rapist, He can forgive us, too. Hallalujah! Here’s the intro:
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. (Psalm 51:0)
We don’t actually know the background and context of many of the psalms, but this one’s explicit. Now the song begins:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)
There’s some confusion around mercy, grace, and justice. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Grace is unmerited favor. Justice is getting what you deserve. Let’s pretend you drive distracted and you smash my car. Justice would be you pay to fix my car. That’s what is deserved. Mercy would say don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it, you deserve to pay but I forgive you. Grace would be me saying you deserve to fix it, but forget about it and, instead, let me buy you Dietsch’s ice cream! Isn’t grace amazing?!
David is pleading for mercy, knowing God’s love is unfailing, He is compassionate, He has the ability to forgive. This is great news!
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2)
Here’s the first reference to clean, cleansing, washing. Psalm 103:12 says,
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12)
How far is that? Infinity! This doesn’t mean God ignores all of the sins of all people. The context is those who love Him, who follow Him, who repent and turn away from their sin. The verse prior says,
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. (Psalm 103:11)
This is speaking of those who fear God, who make Jesus not only Savior, but LORD. There are a lot of vampire Christians who just want Jesus for his blood! The invitation is not to pray a magic prayer to obtain a Get Out of Hell Free card. It’s to follow Jesus. None of us do it perfectly, but that’s the desire of our heart. When we fall, we get back up. When we mess up, we own it, confess, and get back on the path.
Perhaps some of you need to start the journey. You’ve been living for yourself, doing everything your way. How’s that working out for you? It’s tragic to see so many people pursuing “their” truth, only to be drowning in anxiety, loneliness, and fear. The invitation of Jesus is one of freedom, joy, peace, meaning, and satisfaction. He’s not out to ruin your life or restrict your fun. It’s exactly the opposite! Are you following Jesus today?
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:3)
Years ago, there was some research done on guilt. Do you know the number one reason why people feel guilty? It’s because they’re guilty!
There is such thing as false guilt, but usually when we feel guilty, it’s legitimate…and often it won’t go away. I’ve heard stories of people who have lived with guilt for years, even decades. That will not only mess with your mind, it will affect your body, too.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge. (Psalm 51:4)
This does not mean the characters in the story were not victims, but David is acknowledging only God is holy and perfect and justified to judge. Sin is not simply a bad thing we do because of an arbitrary rule. It’s anything that separates us from God…and others.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5)
We’re all born with a selfish, sinful nature. You don’t have to teach a child to say, “No!”
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (Psalm 51:6)
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
That’s a good feeling!
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (Psalm 51:8)
David’s poetic imagery is beautiful. He knows the LORD and His ability to extend mercy and forgive the repentant.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity. (Psalm 51:9)
Remember, David has come clean about his sin. The hiding is over. He owns it and seeks forgiveness.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
This verse was put into a popular song many years ago. It’s a beautiful prayer.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:11)
David knows God and wants God. He knows the agony of separation from a right relationship with God caused by sin and he wants to return to intimacy with the LORD.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12)
There’s more to his plea.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you. (Psalm 51:13)
He’s a wounded healer. He wants to help others. In AA, the best sponsors are often former addicts. They’ve been through it. They know the path. David’s song is not just for him, but he has others in view. For the sake of time, let me read through the conclusion:
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. (Psalm 51:14)
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise. (Psalm 51:15)
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. (Psalm 51:16)
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem. (Psalm 51:18)
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar. (Psalm 51:19)
What that really means is we can’t impress God. We can’t be religious enough to earn His approval. All of our good works, the Bible says, are filthy rags (and the literal meaning is used feminine products). What God wants is our heart. He wants us, humble, broken in order to receive healing. He wants us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That should be the natural response to our faithful God who is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
So What?
Getting right with God—and others—feels great, but it begins with action on our part. Let me say it again:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
It begins with confession. Some of you need to get on your knees and say
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)
And then receive His cleansing, His forgiveness, His love. Hallelujah!
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
College First Church of God
August 11, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Our faithful God is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
Have you ever done something bad? Really bad? Can you think of a time when you were ashamed? Maybe you tried to cover it up, hoping nobody would notice. One of the greatest, most godly persons in history did more than a bad thing. His series of sins included lust, adultery, premeditated murder, possible rape, and lies…and he was still called a man after God’s own heart. That says a lot about King David, but even more about our merciful God.
Today we’re continuing our series on the Psalms, the songbook of the Bible. There are five sections in the psalms, and if you’ve been with us during the series, you may have noticed each psalm is quite different from the others. Those within the five groupings are similar, but thus far we’ve examined psalms about being rooted in God, a declaration about God as our fortress, and last Sunday a prophetic psalm with multiple, blatant references to Jesus the Messiah who would arrive hundreds of years later. Today’s text is quite somber, one of confession after David committed adultery with Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and had her husband murdered. Not a good sequence!
If you don’t know the story, you can read it in 2 Samuel chapters 11-12. Suffice it to say, David was in soapy bubbles, as my late mother-in-law used to say! He sinned badly, covered it up, was confronted by Nathan the prophet, and finally came clean.
Clean. That’s an appropriate word. I’m not sure if the cool kids say it today, but there used to be dirty words. One popular rock group sang of “dirty deeds done dirt cheap.” We’ve all experienced mud puddles, paint spills, playground activities, and other things that made us physically dirty. There’s nothing like a hot shower or a nice bath and that feeling of being clean. The same can be said spiritually. If you get nothing out of what I say today, please remember this:
Our faithful God is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
Our relationship with God and our eternal destiny is not based upon how “good” we are, but rather how “great” He is! It’s not about what we do, but about what Jesus has done on the cross. You’re not good enough to earn God’s favor. He doesn’t grade on a curve!
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9, NLT)
If God can forgive a liar, murderer, adulterer, and likely a rapist, He can forgive us, too. Hallalujah! Here’s the intro:
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. (Psalm 51:0)
We don’t actually know the background and context of many of the psalms, but this one’s explicit. Now the song begins:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)
There’s some confusion around mercy, grace, and justice. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Grace is unmerited favor. Justice is getting what you deserve. Let’s pretend you drive distracted and you smash my car. Justice would be you pay to fix my car. That’s what is deserved. Mercy would say don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it, you deserve to pay but I forgive you. Grace would be me saying you deserve to fix it, but forget about it and, instead, let me buy you Dietsch’s ice cream! Isn’t grace amazing?!
David is pleading for mercy, knowing God’s love is unfailing, He is compassionate, He has the ability to forgive. This is great news!
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2)
Here’s the first reference to clean, cleansing, washing. Psalm 103:12 says,
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12)
How far is that? Infinity! This doesn’t mean God ignores all of the sins of all people. The context is those who love Him, who follow Him, who repent and turn away from their sin. The verse prior says,
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. (Psalm 103:11)
This is speaking of those who fear God, who make Jesus not only Savior, but LORD. There are a lot of vampire Christians who just want Jesus for his blood! The invitation is not to pray a magic prayer to obtain a Get Out of Hell Free card. It’s to follow Jesus. None of us do it perfectly, but that’s the desire of our heart. When we fall, we get back up. When we mess up, we own it, confess, and get back on the path.
Perhaps some of you need to start the journey. You’ve been living for yourself, doing everything your way. How’s that working out for you? It’s tragic to see so many people pursuing “their” truth, only to be drowning in anxiety, loneliness, and fear. The invitation of Jesus is one of freedom, joy, peace, meaning, and satisfaction. He’s not out to ruin your life or restrict your fun. It’s exactly the opposite! Are you following Jesus today?
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:3)
Years ago, there was some research done on guilt. Do you know the number one reason why people feel guilty? It’s because they’re guilty!
There is such thing as false guilt, but usually when we feel guilty, it’s legitimate…and often it won’t go away. I’ve heard stories of people who have lived with guilt for years, even decades. That will not only mess with your mind, it will affect your body, too.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge. (Psalm 51:4)
This does not mean the characters in the story were not victims, but David is acknowledging only God is holy and perfect and justified to judge. Sin is not simply a bad thing we do because of an arbitrary rule. It’s anything that separates us from God…and others.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5)
We’re all born with a selfish, sinful nature. You don’t have to teach a child to say, “No!”
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (Psalm 51:6)
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
That’s a good feeling!
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (Psalm 51:8)
David’s poetic imagery is beautiful. He knows the LORD and His ability to extend mercy and forgive the repentant.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity. (Psalm 51:9)
Remember, David has come clean about his sin. The hiding is over. He owns it and seeks forgiveness.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
This verse was put into a popular song many years ago. It’s a beautiful prayer.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:11)
David knows God and wants God. He knows the agony of separation from a right relationship with God caused by sin and he wants to return to intimacy with the LORD.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12)
There’s more to his plea.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you. (Psalm 51:13)
He’s a wounded healer. He wants to help others. In AA, the best sponsors are often former addicts. They’ve been through it. They know the path. David’s song is not just for him, but he has others in view. For the sake of time, let me read through the conclusion:
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. (Psalm 51:14)
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise. (Psalm 51:15)
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. (Psalm 51:16)
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem. (Psalm 51:18)
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar. (Psalm 51:19)
What that really means is we can’t impress God. We can’t be religious enough to earn His approval. All of our good works, the Bible says, are filthy rags (and the literal meaning is used feminine products). What God wants is our heart. He wants us, humble, broken in order to receive healing. He wants us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That should be the natural response to our faithful God who is merciful to those who are broken and repentant.
So What?
Getting right with God—and others—feels great, but it begins with action on our part. Let me say it again:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
It begins with confession. Some of you need to get on your knees and say
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)
And then receive His cleansing, His forgiveness, His love. Hallelujah!