The Psalms are life-changing biblical literature. There are psalms of praise, prayer, faith, wisdom, and more. Psalm 51 is a penitential psalm in which David has sinned greatly and desperately strives to come back to God. He is miserable in his guilt and sin and pleads with God. Psalm 51:10-12 reads, “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”.
Sin brought nothing but misery and heartache to David and sin brings the same results to us. Satan and his temptations are so enticing and fun and fulfilling. In the end they deliver misery and depression and shame and spiritual death IF we do not repent and come back to God. David needed spiritual heart surgery – so do we. The fruit of forgiveness is so wonderful, thanks to the mercy and grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Read Psalm 51. Then listen to Create in Me a Pure Heart by A Cappella.
Psalm 51
A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
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.