Psalm 51

A Bible Devotion from Psalm 51

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight, that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge . . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit . . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, these, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:1-2, 10-11, and 17, NKJV

God called David a man after His own heart, and yet we know that David committed some great sins, especially in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba. How can we reconcile this; the 51st Psalm is the answer. After Nathan the prophet came and confronted David with his sin, David fell before the Lord asking forgiveness and penned Psalm 51.

Do Christians sin? Yes. How do they respond to their sins? Their sins become a great grief to them and they are only at peace when they fall down before God, confess their sins, and ask forgiveness for them.

Did David have grief because of this sin? Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me . . . . Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Did David confess his sins and ask forgiveness? For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight. Then, what did David ask for? Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me . . . restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Pray today that you would feel the grief of your sins causing you to fall down before God in confession. Then only, will you feel again the joy of God's salvation upon you.

Next: Psalm 52, I Will Wait on Your Name, for It Is Good

More devotions on the 51st Psalm from my blog, Daily Bible Devotions

Against Thee, Thee Only, verses 1-4

Shaped in Sin, verses 5-6

Whiter than Snow, verses 7-9

Restore the Joy, verses 10-13

A Broken Spirit, verses 14-19