Repentance

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 51

 

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.

(NKJV)

 

Since none of us who are reading this is perfect, we have done things in our lives that are sinful and displeasing to a righteous God. When we become aware of these shortcomings, we have a choice. We can choose to ignore the warning and go on living in our sin, or do as David did in this psalm, repent and turn back to God. At the end of this post, you will have an opportunity to make that choice.

 

After Nathan has made his sin of adultery known to him, David prays for God to blot out his transgressions and cleanse him from his sin (Psalm 51:1-2). He then acknowledges his sin and that it is a sin against God and Him only (Psalm 51:3-4). David then acknowledges he was born in sin and in need of cleansing from sin (Psalm 51:5-7). David’s sin has robbed him of joy and gladness, and now he asks God for the restoration of his bones broken by sin, asking God to no longer hide his face from his sins and to blot out his iniquities (Psalm 51:8-9).

 

David continues by asking God to create a clean heart within him and not to cast him from His presence (Psalm 51:10-11). David then asks God to give him a clean heart and the renewal of a steadfast spirit so he can share his salvation with other sinners, and they are converted (Psalm 51:12-13). David desires deliverance from the guilt of his sin so he can offer praise to God (Psalm 51:14-15). David acknowledges that God does not desire sacrifice, something he could offer, but a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Psalm 51:16-17). David concludes by asking God to do good in His good pleasure to Zion, so God is pleased with their sacrifices of righteousness (Psalm 51:18-19).

 

David has committed the sins of adultery and murder, with his sins revealed to him by Nathan. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance for these sins. In his prayer, David,

• Asks God for mercy and to blot out his transgressions (Psalm 51:1-2) – Mercy in one’s life is not receiving what they deserve. Romans 3:23 reminds us that everyone has sinned and fallen short, missing the mark with God. The first half of Romans 6:23 reminds us that the penalty for sin is death, meaning that justice for our sin is death. Therefore, everyone, including David, needs mercy with God.
• David acknowledges his sins (Psalm 51:3-6) – In 1 John 1:9, the Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. However, repentance is more than just telling God you have sinned but includes telling God you want to turn from your sin and follow Him. There is no mention in scripture of David committing adultery or murder again, leading to the belief his repentance was genuine.
• David asks God to cleanse his heart (Psalm 51:7-11) – In Matthew 6:21, the Bible tells us that our heart is in what we treasure. We often think of this verse in giving to God, but it also includes what has priority in our hearts. In David’s case, he stopped to look at Bathsheba bathing, and his heart desired her. This escalated to the sin of adultery and murder. Therefore, David asks God to cleanse his heart of this treasure, replacing it with a treasure to draw closer to God.
• David prays for restoration and deliverance (Psalm 51:12-17) – In this portion of the Psalm, David is asking God to deliver him from his sin and restore a right relationship with Him. One can experience this restoration today through Christ, who took the judgment for our sins, so we can become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). While David wrote this before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of prophecy.
• David prays for God’s blessings upon Zion (Psalm 51:18-19) – One’s sins have consequences that can affect more than just the one sinner. The sin of adultery not only affects the sinner but also their spouse and family. The sin of murder affects not only the murderer, who may face death or life imprisonment, but also the family and friends of the person murdered. In his conclusion of this psalm, David prays to God out of a desire not to have his sin remove God’s blessings from Zion.

 

Repentance is a 180-degree turn from sin towards God. It represents the first step to receiving salvation from God because sin separates us from God. It is more than saying I am sorry and about receiving forgiveness and salvation from a merciful God. Repentance should also result in a life transformation from a life of sin (Romans 12:1-2). Salvation from sin is through God’s grace and not something we can earn by our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if we confess a genuine, heartfelt belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for our sins, we will be saved. If you are reading this and have never prayed to accept this gift from God, I encourage you to do so now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you meant what you just prayed, know God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a right relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.