Psalm 51:1-17 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 51:1-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Verse 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Verse 3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Verse 4Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
Verse 5Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
Verse 6You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Verse 7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Verse 8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Verse 9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Verse 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Verse 11Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Verse 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Verse 13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Verse 14Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
Verse 15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Verse 16For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
Verse 17The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Devotion
We are hopefully reminded of our own failings when we read of David's sincere repentance for his misbehavior—and it was a pretty serious misbehavior! David wants to make sure he has his bases covered when it comes to his wrongdoing. In the first two verses of this psalm we notice that he asks for forgiveness using three different terms: transgressions, iniquity, and sin. I believe this was on purpose. Even though the words have similar meanings, each adds a different nuance to the total impression. Transgression refers to our presumptuous sin—failing to stay within the limits of what is permitted. Iniquity is more deeply rooted and suggests a premeditated choice—like David planning to seduce Bathsheba. Sin means to "miss the mark," and is the general term for anything that falls short of the glory of God. As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, we repent of all of the ways we have failed and fallen. Have mercy on me, O God!
Prayer
Dear Lord, the closer we get to your glory, the more we see the need for your grace. Forgive us, renew us, restore us. For your sake. Amen.