Tag: Psalm 51
A contrite heart!
Scripture reading for June 13th: Psalms 50-54
David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of his friend, Uriah, is recorded in scripture in 2nd Samuel 11-12. This was a dark blot on the life of a man that had walked closely with God for about 50 years. King David had decided to stay home from the war with Israel’s enemies to rest and relax. He let his eyes wander as his heart grew cold and ended up in bed with his neighbor’s wife. She became pregnant, David decided to try to frame his friend. When this didn’t work, he had his friend murdered!
Murder and adultery required that the perpetrators be stoned to death under God’s law. (Leviticus 20:10)(Leviticus 24:17) In King David’s confession of these sins, he considered them to be against God alone. God granted David forgiveness under the law because of a broken and contrite heart! A broken and contrite heart takes responsibility for sin. It admits to breaking God’s law instead of denial or blame. (Psalm 51:3-5) David recognized that he was sinful from birth. He was born in sin because of Adam’s sin!
Repentant hearts also recognize the importance of truth. (Psalm 51:6) Jeremiah stated that the heart was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9-11) God alone can search the hearts of men and cleanse them. David asked to be cleansed with hyssop. While in Egypt, the Israelites used hyssop branches to sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial lambs on the doorposts of their houses to keep the death angel from striking the first-born. Only the sprinkled blood of Jesus, God’s final sacrifice can cleanse sinful hearts and protect us from the angel of death.
Broken hearts desire the joy and salvation that comes from God’s grace of forgiveness. (Psalm 51:9-12) All of this brokenness leads to a life of humble service and witness! Those who are forgiven much, love much. Out of this love they want to do God’s will and praise His Name! (Psalm 51:13-15)
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart , Oh God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17
A pardon from the King!
Scripture Reading for April 1st: 2nd Samuel 19-20
Have you ever done something really foolish? (By the way, today is April fool’s day!) In the last presidential campaign, one of the candidates talked bad about his opponent without realizing that his microphone was on and he was being recorded. It was an embarrassing situation that was hard to justify! In today’s reading, a man by the name of Shimei had done something really stupid to King David, who was now returning to power in Jerusalem.
As David left the city when he fled from Absalom, Shimei yelled curses at him. (2nd Samuel 16:5-8) David responded with the statement that God had sent Shimei to do that. (2nd Samuel 16:11-12) Although Abishai, a son of Zeruiah, wanted to kill Shimei, David refused to do so. David realized that his current situation was a result of his own sin. God had warned him that trouble would come to him from his own household. (2nd Samuel 12:10-13) Shimei’s curses were reminding David of his sin and of God’s promise.
Now, after Absalom’s rebellion had been stopped by his untimely death, David was returning to Jerusalem as King over God’s people. Shimei was one of the first to greet him. He immediately fell at the King’s feet and asked for mercy, confessing his sin and taking responsibility. (2nd Samuel 19:16-20) His humble attitude and progressive actions found a receptive heart in the King. The sons of Zeruiah still wanted to get revenge and had to be rebuked again by the King. (2nd Samuel 19:21-23) The King granted a pardon to Shimei! I believe he understood God’s mercy when he, himself, cried out to God for it. (Psalm 51:1-2)
We can all identify with Shimei in that we have all sinned against the King of Heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ! We have rebelled against Him and deserve punishment. Our accuser, Satan, tries to condemn us to death. But the Lord has mercy on those who humbly confess and call upon Him for pardon. God forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness! (1st John 1:9) This is good news! We can have a pardon from the King! Honest confession and repentance will bring forgivnesnss and restoration. Take the action needed today to deal with sins against God or man who is made in God’s image! Psalm 51 is a great pattern. Forgive yourself too! We have a pardon from the King!