REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION

Passage: Psalms 51:1-19

Key verse: 10

NIV

Psalm 51[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.(A)

1 Have mercy(B) on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;(C)
according to your great compassion(D)
    blot out(E) my transgressions.(F)
2 Wash away(G) all my iniquity
    and cleanse(H) me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.(I)
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned(J)
    and done what is evil in your sight;(K)
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.(L)
5 Surely I was sinful(M) at birth,(N)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom(O) in that secret place.(P)

7 Cleanse(Q) me with hyssop,(R) and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.(S)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;(T)
    let the bones(U) you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins(V)
    and blot out(W) all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart,(X) O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.(Y)
11 Do not cast me(Z) from your presence(AA)
    or take your Holy Spirit(AB) from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation(AC)
    and grant me a willing spirit,(AD) to sustain me.(AE)

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,(AF)
    so that sinners(AG) will turn back to you.(AH)
14 Deliver me(AI) from the guilt of bloodshed,(AJ) O God,
    you who are God my Savior,(AK)
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.(AL)
15 Open my lips, Lord,(AM)
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice,(AN) or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice,(AO) O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart(AP)
    you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,(AQ)
    to build up the walls of Jerusalem.(AR)
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,(AS)
    in burnt offerings(AT) offered whole;
    then bulls(AU) will be offered on your altar.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
  2. Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when (A)Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51 (B)Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your (C)abundant mercy
    (D)blot out my transgressions.
2 (E)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and (F)cleanse me from my sin!

3 (G)For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 (H)Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil (I)in your sight,
(J)so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, (K)I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in (L)the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me (M)with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    (N)wash me, and I shall be (O)whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    (P)let the bones (Q)that you have broken rejoice.
9 (R)Hide your face from my sins,
    and (S)blot out all my iniquities.
10 (T)Create in me a (U)clean heart, O God,
    and (V)renew a right[b] spirit within me.
11 (W)Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not (X)your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will (Y)return to you.
14 Deliver me from (Z)bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O (AA)God of my salvation,
    and (AB)my tongue will sing aloud of your (AC)righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 (AD)For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are (AE)a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 (AF)Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    (AG)build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in (AH)right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and (AI)whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 51:1 Or Be gracious to me
  2. Psalm 51:10 Or steadfast
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

David was filled with regret after Nathan confronted him about his sin of adultery and murder (1 Sa 12). David’s heinous sins could not be reversed or taken away by any human action. Sin is more than an immoral act committed in a moment in time. As David confessed, sin is deep in our human nature, present even at conception (5). Though we are born with sin, we cannot excuse ourselves from sin. God still desires faithfulness to him from us (6).

To whom do you turn when you are made aware of your sin? David cried out to God for his mercy. He depended on God’s unchanging character – his unfailing love, his great compassion, and his desire to cleanse us from sin. Only God could wash David, make him whiter than snow, and deliver him from his guilt of bloodshed. God made cleansing from sin available to everyone through Jesus Christ. Turn to Jesus in repentance and he will cleanse you from your sins.

David also asked God to create in him a pure heart and for the Holy Spirit. He longed for God’s presence. He prayed for a restored relationship with God. Then he would sing praise to God and teach others to also turn back to God.

Prayer: Father, I am a sinner, but I praise you for forgiveness of sins and restoration in Jesus. Create in me a pure heart and restore the joy of your salvation. Help me to lead others to Jesus.

One Word: Create in me a pure heart.