WOW! The lyrics of this song hit the nail on the head…right in the heart. The statements are paradoxical and make you think. Even the title has paradox in it – For the First Time Again. That is an awesome title.
If you ever struggle to get back to the spiritual mountaintop you once enjoyed you will find this song to be helpful. You may even go all the way back to your conversion to Christ and crave that day. That’s because there are times when we praise God, thank God, adore God and feel so close to Him in our relationship with Him that Jesus is everything. Then, we have those moments in the valley we were are troubled in our spirit, or feel bad about how we have been living, and we just don’t feel right about our relationship with the Lord. We want desperately to be back on that mountaintop again – you know: For the First Time Again.
Read Psalm 51 and listen to For the First Time Again by Jason Gray. Then pray for God to help you get back on the mountaintop with Him all the way to glory.
Psalm 51
Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in secret You will make wisdom known to me.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.
Create in me a clean heart, 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 sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
Lord, open my lips,
So that my mouth may declare Your praise.
For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.
By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.