Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,
According to Your unfailing love;
According to Your great compassion
Blot out my transgressions.
Cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Do you ever feel like your sin is always before you? Blocking the road to righteousness in Christ? Blocking the road to joy and freedom? I certainly have. In fact, if I’m honest, this is what I struggle with most as a follower of Jesus. I am a sinner, continually. Just when I think my sin is dealt with and I could never look back, I am reminded that my sin is always before me. And what’s hard is picking myself back up and following Jesus, knowing that I am ill-deserving of His grace. But it is not over. God is unfailing love. God is great compassion. He will wash me whiter than snow. I am humbled by this grace.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
Or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

David writes this Psalm after he has just committed adultery with Bathsheba. He is broken. He is confused. He is full of guilt. But he has hope. He asks God for a steadfast spirit. The key after sin is not to wallow in it or turn our face from God- but rather, to look Him full in the face, recognizing our absolute depravity and His absolute grace. This bring joy. This brings a willing spirit. This sustains us: when we pick up the scriptures right after we sin; when we pray for a pure heart right after we sin. Don’t wait – time brings ignorance, action brings renewal.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart,
O God, You will not despise.

No matter what we have done, if we come to God with a contrite heart, He will not despise. He will give grace. Notice how David didn’t wait until he could gather his finest lamb to sacrifice to God. He didn’t wait until he could go to the temple. All he did was come to God with a broken spirit. Will we come to God in our brokenness?