Psalm 51:1-2
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
This is David's great psalm of repentance after being confronted about his sin with Bathsheba. There is so much here that pertains to our struggles that I'm splitting up the psalm into multiple sections. David starts with a plea for mercy (verse 1) which is based on God's "steadfast love". This is the foundation from which we can appeal to God, and which gives us hope. We have a merciful, loving God, so we can go to Him when we sin. We don't have to be afraid, nor do we have to hide in shame. We need to learn from David's example, for he probably felt terrible after being confronted, but he was mature enough to know where to go: not to hiding, but to the One who can forgive us. The second verse is his plea for cleansing, to have all the grime and ugliness of the sin washed away. After we sin, the shame can be overwhelming and can paralyze us with fear and disgrace. But God can cleanse us, can take away that shame and set us back on the path of righteousness. Like David, let us seek after that cleansing so we can be restored to God.
Lord, thank you for Your great mercy. Please cleanse me from my sin.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
This is David's great psalm of repentance after being confronted about his sin with Bathsheba. There is so much here that pertains to our struggles that I'm splitting up the psalm into multiple sections. David starts with a plea for mercy (verse 1) which is based on God's "steadfast love". This is the foundation from which we can appeal to God, and which gives us hope. We have a merciful, loving God, so we can go to Him when we sin. We don't have to be afraid, nor do we have to hide in shame. We need to learn from David's example, for he probably felt terrible after being confronted, but he was mature enough to know where to go: not to hiding, but to the One who can forgive us. The second verse is his plea for cleansing, to have all the grime and ugliness of the sin washed away. After we sin, the shame can be overwhelming and can paralyze us with fear and disgrace. But God can cleanse us, can take away that shame and set us back on the path of righteousness. Like David, let us seek after that cleansing so we can be restored to God.
Lord, thank you for Your great mercy. Please cleanse me from my sin.