03/02/2025
A Psalm of Repentance
Wednesday Evening, February 26, 2025
“For when two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20
Scripture Reading:
This evening’s scripture reading is the 51st Psalm. I am using the English Standard Version. If you need a Bible, please let me know and we will make sure you get one.
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin!
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
And my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
This Evening’s Message:
A Psalm of Repentance
An eternal pattern for sinning saints of God who come back into full communion with their Lord is contained in this poignant psalm. Historically, it is the account of David’s pathway to restored fellowship with God after his sin with Bathsheba.
Many of the constituent elements included in the doctrine of repentance and restoration are found in the text of this haunting psalm.
It can be divided into seven steps that one can take to regain the fellowship with God that was lost because of sin.
Our sin is judged by God and God alone.
The first petition in the repentant prayer is for pity.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1–2
David calls for this mercy on the basis of God’s lovingkindness, which is his nature of goodness toward all. David knows that he cannot appeal to God’s justice. The second petition is a plea to “blot out” his transgressions—expunge them completely from the divine record.
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity” is the third petition. “Wash” is a strong word describing the action one would take in scrubbing an exceedingly soiled garment.
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:3–4
This constitutes David’s confession. He does not blame anyone or anything else for his sin. He takes full responsibility for what he has done. David’s contrition has resolved into confession.
David reveals the doctrine of original sin – the total depravity of man.
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5
David understood the essential sin nature of man. He understood that there must be an inner change.
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” Psalm 51:6
Just the “turning over of a new leaf” would not do.
We receive forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Christ.
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7
At that time hyssop was used in the cleansing ritual performed when a person was cured of leprosy. It made him “ritually clean,” and thus he became qualified to worship in the temple. Leprosy was a picture of sin; and as leprosy had to be cleansed before one could participate in corporate worship, so must sin in the individual’s life be cleansed by the blood of Christ before that individual can stand in God’s presence.
“Wash me.”
This cleansing was for the continual state of fellowship between the believer and God.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
David desires a sense of forgiveness. Forgiveness is accepted by faith.
“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:8-10
This is indicative of the new birth.
David insists upon a “creative” act of God. Paul reminds us that the individual who is “in Christ” is a “new creature,” or creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Renew a right spirit within me.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11–12
A new and regenerated attitude and personality must be followed in the life of the believer.
They must have a spirit filled for joy and power.
Cast me not away.
Take not you Holy Spirit from me.
We know that even though it is possible for us to “grieve” or “quench” the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is impossible for us to eject him. For, upon conversion, we are no longer our own, but we are bought with a price.
Restore my joy of in salvation.
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12
David had not lost his essential relationship with God as child when he sinned. But he had severed the line of communication and had jeopardized his fellowship with
God.
Now that he has repented and his sin has been forgiven, he prays that God will give him back that which had been so precious to him—the overflowing joy he had had with God because of his unique relationship with the Lord.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
Our God is not reluctant when it comes to dispensing blessings to his people. Once we meet the requirements, we can expect the floodgates of heaven to open.
“Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you” Psalm 51:13
Only when sin is confessed and forgiven in a believer’s life is that person able to share his or her faith effectively with unbelievers. Results, in the winning of the lost, are assured.
“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:14–17
David’s concern now is that his sin not be the cause of others’ sin. This forgiveness and restoration will cause rejoicing. He has come to the realization also that God does not require sacrificing, except that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
The believer is restored.
“Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” Psalm 51:18–19
Only the believer in fellowship with God can experience true concern for others. In short, the forgiven, restored believer is in a position to be an even greater blessing to God, because his or her testimony comes out of the furnace experience.
Inspiration and contributions by:
The Zondervan 2025 Pastor's Annual
Copyright © 1984, 2004, 2024 by Zondervan
Published in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Zondervan. Zondervan is a registered trademark of The Zondervan Corporation, L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.
NOTIFICATION: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Counsel of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.S. All rights reserved.
A Psalm of Repentance
Wednesday Evening, February 26, 2025
“For when two or three are gathered in my name,
there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20
Scripture Reading:
This evening’s scripture reading is the 51st Psalm. I am using the English Standard Version. If you need a Bible, please let me know and we will make sure you get one.
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
To the choirmaster.
A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin!
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
And my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
This Evening’s Message:
A Psalm of Repentance
An eternal pattern for sinning saints of God who come back into full communion with their Lord is contained in this poignant psalm. Historically, it is the account of David’s pathway to restored fellowship with God after his sin with Bathsheba.
Many of the constituent elements included in the doctrine of repentance and restoration are found in the text of this haunting psalm.
It can be divided into seven steps that one can take to regain the fellowship with God that was lost because of sin.
Our sin is judged by God and God alone.
The first petition in the repentant prayer is for pity.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1–2
David calls for this mercy on the basis of God’s lovingkindness, which is his nature of goodness toward all. David knows that he cannot appeal to God’s justice. The second petition is a plea to “blot out” his transgressions—expunge them completely from the divine record.
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity” is the third petition. “Wash” is a strong word describing the action one would take in scrubbing an exceedingly soiled garment.
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:3–4
This constitutes David’s confession. He does not blame anyone or anything else for his sin. He takes full responsibility for what he has done. David’s contrition has resolved into confession.
David reveals the doctrine of original sin – the total depravity of man.
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5
David understood the essential sin nature of man. He understood that there must be an inner change.
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” Psalm 51:6
Just the “turning over of a new leaf” would not do.
We receive forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Christ.
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7
At that time hyssop was used in the cleansing ritual performed when a person was cured of leprosy. It made him “ritually clean,” and thus he became qualified to worship in the temple. Leprosy was a picture of sin; and as leprosy had to be cleansed before one could participate in corporate worship, so must sin in the individual’s life be cleansed by the blood of Christ before that individual can stand in God’s presence.
“Wash me.”
This cleansing was for the continual state of fellowship between the believer and God.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
David desires a sense of forgiveness. Forgiveness is accepted by faith.
“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:8-10
This is indicative of the new birth.
David insists upon a “creative” act of God. Paul reminds us that the individual who is “in Christ” is a “new creature,” or creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Renew a right spirit within me.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11–12
A new and regenerated attitude and personality must be followed in the life of the believer.
They must have a spirit filled for joy and power.
Cast me not away.
Take not you Holy Spirit from me.
We know that even though it is possible for us to “grieve” or “quench” the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is impossible for us to eject him. For, upon conversion, we are no longer our own, but we are bought with a price.
Restore my joy of in salvation.
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12
David had not lost his essential relationship with God as child when he sinned. But he had severed the line of communication and had jeopardized his fellowship with
God.
Now that he has repented and his sin has been forgiven, he prays that God will give him back that which had been so precious to him—the overflowing joy he had had with God because of his unique relationship with the Lord.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
Our God is not reluctant when it comes to dispensing blessings to his people. Once we meet the requirements, we can expect the floodgates of heaven to open.
“Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you” Psalm 51:13
Only when sin is confessed and forgiven in a believer’s life is that person able to share his or her faith effectively with unbelievers. Results, in the winning of the lost, are assured.
“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:14–17
David’s concern now is that his sin not be the cause of others’ sin. This forgiveness and restoration will cause rejoicing. He has come to the realization also that God does not require sacrificing, except that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
The believer is restored.
“Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” Psalm 51:18–19
Only the believer in fellowship with God can experience true concern for others. In short, the forgiven, restored believer is in a position to be an even greater blessing to God, because his or her testimony comes out of the furnace experience.
Inspiration and contributions by:
The Zondervan 2025 Pastor's Annual
Copyright © 1984, 2004, 2024 by Zondervan
Published in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Zondervan. Zondervan is a registered trademark of The Zondervan Corporation, L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.
NOTIFICATION: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Counsel of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.S. All rights reserved.
