“How Should We Respond to Sin in Our Life?” – Psalm 51

Psalm 51

“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

“For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

“Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.”

This deeply personal prayer is a glimpse into the heart of a broken man. David wrote this psalm after his sin with Bathsheeba and the fallout from his poor decisions. Psalm 51 holds some powerful lessons in how we are to face our sin in the presence of a Holy God.
  1. We are to remember and rely on God’s character – “according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy”
  2. We are to own our actions and acknowledge who our sins are against – “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned”
  3. God has chosen to use those who will repeatedly stumble and continually need His mercy and grace “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
  4. Only God can cleanse us and restore us – Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
  5. In the aftermath of God’s restoring mercy, we are able to counsel others in their struggle and testify of the hope found only in Him. “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” 
  6. Our sin constantly reminds us of our need for a savior – “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.”
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • How does David’s response to his sin in Psalm 51 challenge you? 
  • Has shame over sin sidelined you from being restored and reused in God’s ministry? Go through the points above and pray them in light of your own situation. 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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