Tag: Psalms 50-54
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 broken and contrite heart!
Scripture reading for June 13th: Psalms 50-54
David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of his friend, Uriah. This episode is recorded in 2nd Samuel 11-12. This was a dark blot on the life of a man who 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 and ended up in bed with his neighbor’s wife. She became pregnant and instead of an abortion, David decided to try to frame his friend. When this didn’t work, he had his friend killed.
David committed adultery and then murder, sins that had no covering by sacrifice under the Law. Both of these sins required that the perpetrator be stoned to death. (Leviticus 20:10)(Leviticus 24:17) What is remarkable about King David’s confession of these sins, is that he considered them to be against God alone. (Psalm 51:4) He brought a sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart, appealing to God’s mercy! (Psalm 51:17)
A broken and contrite heart takes responsibility for sin. It admits to breaking God’s law instead of denial and blame. (Psalm 51:3-5) David even recognized that he was sinful from birth. David knew men were born in sin because of Adam’s sin! We can only be delivered supernaturally by God’s mercy through Jesus Christ!
Repentant hearts also recognize the importance of truth in them. (Psalm 51:6) Jeremiah stated that the heart by human nature was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9-11) God searches the hearts of men and knows the truth about what is in them. David asked God for a clean heart and blotting out his iniquity!
Broken hearts desire the joy and salvation that comes from God’s grace of forgiveness. (Psalm 51:9-12) God alone can give a pure heart and a right spirit. This right spirit is one of brokenness and dependence on God’s grace. All pride in human effort must be set aside. This brokenness leads to a life of humble service and witness! Those who are forgiven much, love much. Because of love they want to do God’s will and bring praise to 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
God is Judge!
Scripture reading for June 14th: Psalms 50-54
“The Mighty One, God, The Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. . . .He summons the heavens above and the earth that He may judge His people; “Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” The heavens proclaim His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.” (Psalm 50:1, 4-6)
God is the Judge of all mankind as well as of every creature under His vast and eternal rule. There is no place on earth where mankind will not be summoned. All those in the heavenly realm will proclaim God’s righteousness for there is none who can oppose the “Mighty One.”
He called before Him those who had made a covenant with Him by sacrifice. These are those who by faith had joined with Him. These must be judged first because judgment must begin with the House of God! (1st Peter 4:17-18) To these faithful, God rebuked them for their attitude in bringing sacrifices. He wanted them to be thankful and honest before Him. (Psalm 50:13-15) He desired that they call on Him in the time of trouble for this was an honor to Him!
“But to the wicked, God says: “What right have you to recite My laws or take My covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.”” (Psalm 50:16)
The wicked were a part of the nation of Israel too. They knew God’s law but refused to keep it. They broke God’s law regularly in spite of knowing God’s righteous decrees. They stole and joined with other thieves. They committed adultery and lied. They slandered their brothers and did evil continually. They thought that because God was silent, He did not see or care! (Psalm 50:21) But God spoke a plain warning to them: “But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces with none to rescue.” (Psalm 5o:21-22)
Many in the church today could use this warning. There are many doing their own thing and they know better. Some are adulterers and say they love God. Some lie and cheat and claim to belong to Jesus. Some vote for those who kill babies and yet claim to love God. What will happen when the Judge summons you to His throne?
A broken and 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 and instead of an abortion, David decided to try to frame his friend. When this didn’t work, he had his friend aborted! There is nothing new under the sun! The human heart away from God is desperately sick and full of sin!
Today’s reading contains the record of David’s confession and repentance from these sins. Both of these sins required that the perpetrators be stoned to death under God’s law. (Leviticus 20:10)(Leviticus 24:17) What is remarkable about King David’s confession of these sins, is that he considered them to be against God alone. God granted David forgiveness and grace under the law because of a broken and contrite heart! How we need this kind of heart today! Jesus Christ is forgiving sins today for those with a broken and contrite heart.
A broken and contrite heart takes responsibility for sin. It admits to breaking God’s law instead of denial and blame of someone else or even God. (Psalm 51:3-5) David even recognized that he was sinful from birth. We are born in sin because of Adam’s sin! We come by it naturally! We can only be delivered supernaturally by God’s mercy through Jesus Christ!
Repentant hearts also recognize the importance of truth in them. (Psalm 51:6) Jeremiah states that the heart by human nature is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9-11) God searches the hearts of men and knows the truth about what is in them. God wants to wash our hearts and cleanse them. David asks 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. David asks God for a clean heart and a hiding of his sins from God’s face!
Broken hearts desire the joy and salvation that comes from God’s grace of forgiveness. (Psalm 51:9-12) God gives a pure heart and a right spirit. This right spirit is a spirit of brokenness and dependence on God’s grace. All pride in human effort and ability is set aside and humility comes in it’s place. There is joy and rejoicing and a willing spirit to follow the Lord and be taught of Him.
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