Is your heart clean? Psalm 51

By Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus

Psalm 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

Psalm 51 is often called “The Repenter’s Psalm.”  In this psalm, King David pleads for forgiveness of his sin, knowing that his sin is first against God (51:4).

King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed.  Psalm 51 is his petition to God  for forgiveness & cleansing (51:1-2).  He confesses his guilt (51:3-6), seeks pardon & restoration (51:7-12), resolves to praise God (51:13-17), and asks blessing and protection upon Jerusalem (51:18-19).

King David understood that his sin was not only a matter of behavior, but that it began with a matter of the heart.  All sin begins with a desire to meet an internal need, a desire to satisfy our needs with something, or someone, other than God.

The same is true of praise and worship.  Not only is it something we do, but it is first and foremost a position of the heart.  Only when we look to God to meet our needs, and find satisfaction in Him, can we truly praise and worship with our words and our songs.  Only then can we truly love and serve Him with gladness and joy.

Just like David we need to seek God’s forgiveness for our sins with a humble and repentant heart.  We need our hearts to be cleansed and our spirits to be renewed. The cross of Jesus Christ promises just that — forgiveness of sins and restoration of relationship.  And, it’s not just for our justification (our salvation unto eternal life); it’s also for our sanctification, our daily walk as we pursue growing in holiness.

Be quick to run to the cross.  Confess your sins, knowing that…

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

AND, do so….

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)

AND, with a clean heart rejoice in praise and worship…

Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! (Psalm 105:3)

Take a minute and read Psalm 51.

1  Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

2  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

3  For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

4  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.

5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

6  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8  Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

9  Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.

10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

13  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

14  Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

15  O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

16  For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.

17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart; These, O God, You will not despise.

18  Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19  Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

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