Psalm 51 - Out of the Depths
Psalm 51 - Out of the Depths
By Pastor Lee Hemen
July 24, 2011 AM
For countless generations spectators have looked on in breathless wonder as they have witnessed and read the story concerning a helpless man dealing with a personal problem that clearly has no human solution. They have clearly listened to the sobs of his pain and seen the tears of his confession. Although a king of a great nation, he is now viewed for what he truly is -- a helpless sinner guilty of sins that put him beyond the remedy provided by the Law. Fear laces his soul, confession comes from his lips, brokenness is found in his heart and hope is discovered if he is willing to come out of the depths of sin!
King David had it all, wealth, power, military victory after military victory. He could do no wrong until one afternoon he deliberately took a walk on his balcony overlooking the rooftops nearby. He knew what he would see, the alluring wife of Uriah the Hittite taking a bath. He desired her more than anything else he had. He even went so far as to plan adultery and execute Uriah's murder. These were what blackened the soul of King David. For almost a year he fooled himself until one day fearless Nathan came and confronted this immoral king. David could not escape. What would he do about his sin? How would David deal with his sin? In reading how David finally came out of the depths of his sin, we can perhaps also discover the path for ourselves. Let’s discover how…
READ: Psalm 51:1-17
Man's greatest need is for forgiveness, but a person has to come to the realization that they need God's pardon. For David everything was fine, so to speak, until he allowed himself to look closely at himself through God's eyes. Then, his outward facade fell apart. God knew him for what he really was. And, in his heart of hearts, David knew it too. In order to come out of the depth of sin we find David in…
I. A heartfelt cry for forgiveness! (vv. 1-2)
1. The one universal prayer God always responds to is: “Forgive me, Lord!”
1) David’s cry was to God and God alone. It was God who could have mercy and pity on David because it was first of all against God he had sinned. David was relying on God's unfailing love (God’s kheh'-sed - loving kindness) and God’s great compassion (rakh'-am - like a mother’s love for her infant)! David wanted out of his well of sin! He wanted God’s embrace!
2) Notice David describes three specific acts of his sin: 1) his transgressions meaning rebellion, 2) his own iniquity meaning perversity and a warped nature, and 3) finally his sin meaning his habitual lifestyle of missing the mark God had set for his life! David fully recognized his situation. He was in rebellion, he was perverse, and he was in sin!
3) And notice he uses three verbs to indicate what he wants God to do! David cries aloud asking God to blot out, rub out, erase, or strike from the record his rebellion, to wash away meaning to stomp out his perversity, and then to cleanse him as if making him naked like a newborn or innocent of his sins! Wow! What a project God had to perform! Nevertheless, David knew God could do it “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions!” (Psalm 103:11-12 NIV)
EXAMPLE: David recognized what most of the modern psychoanalytical world cannot face. Next to a holy and awesome God, we are rebellious, perverted, and sinful! In today's world, we use phrases like “I made a mistake,” or “I blew it,” or “I was wrong,” or any other pathetic platitude just so we do not have to admit we have actually sinned against a holy loving God! We try anything and everything to redefine our sin. When that does not work, we try to rewrite human laws, thinking it will excuse our ungodliness. Rewriting man’s codes does not nullify the eternal laws of God concerning sin. It is only when we are willing to make a heartfelt cry for forgiveness that we can be cleansed!
David at this point was not concerned about the consequences of his sin (there would be some) he was only set on getting rid of the sin itself! It was a burden to be removed, polluted clothes that must be made clean, a fatal disease that must be cured! “God, forgive me!” he cries out of the depths of his anguish. Nathan had told David, “You’re the man.” and David acknowledges, “I am the man!” In order for David to be restored and come out of the depths of his sin, we find him in…
II. A complete sincere confession! (vv. 3-6)
1. Confession should start in the human heart and finish at the line of an open mouth!
1) In these verses, David realizes that his sin condition was twofold in nature. He was a sinner by nature: “I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (v. 5) and that he sinned by choice against God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” It is the same realization anyone must come to in order for their confession to be sincere! We must recognize that we are sinners both by nature and by choice! Why? It proves that we fully understand our problem!
2) When David recognized this fact he also had to understand that God was “proved right” when He spoke and “justified when (He) judged” David’s sin (v. 4)! This can be the toughest part of anyone confessing their sin! They have to recognize God is right and they are wrong! If God was right then David had to make a decision: He had to sincerely confess his sinful condition. David confesses it openly and honestly. But more than this, David had to believe that God would and could forgive him if he was open about his sin! And the same is true for our lives as well.
3) Paul would say, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:10 NIV) It is simply not good enough to say, “I am sorry.” We must confess and acknowledge our sinful nature and condition. We must be specific. We must be sincere. And the reason why is obvious: God knows when are not. Far too often we value our pride more than we value God. Jesus related, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.” (Luke 16:15 NIV)
EXAMPLE: Notice that David did not blame Bathsheba for leading him astray. He did not lay the blame on his parents, his heritage, or the architect who designed his balcony to overlook Bathsheba’s rooftop. David did not blame society and the social circumstances of his day. David did not use the excuse, “Well, everyone else is doing it!” I have discovered that typically when individuals cry, “It’s not my fault!” it usually is. David does something many in our day and age have difficulty doing, he openly declares that he and he alone was wholly responsible for the sins of which he was so ashamed! He was a sinful man held is sin's grasp. He confesses it truthfully and openly. He made a complete sincere confession.
David realized that God knew what he had done. This is why he said, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” David needed not just an outward restoration he needed to be clean completely inside and out. Often today we think that being sad over our condition is enough, however, to come out of sin's depths we find David in…
III. A prayer for full cleansing (vv. 7-9)
1. A good soul cleaning comes from a little of God's elbow grease generously applied to the human heart!
1) No halfway cleaning does David desire. He earnestly declares, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Hyssop was used to dab the lintels and doorposts of Israelite homes with the blood of the Passover lambs (Exodus 12:22). Later, hyssop would be used to give Christ a drink as He hung on the cross. It signified the complete and total cleansing only God could provide. It declared that a sacrifice was needed. Sin always costs something.
2) David wanted his relationship with God totally restored. He longed for it. Moreover, when God pardons him he asks, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.” Because the joy of the Lord used to be, David's strength and he longed to be reunited with God!
EXAMPLE: I remember well how my mother would ask us to wash before supper. Playing was more important to me than eating so I would quickly splash water on my hands. She was not fooled. She always checked! When she said, “Wash!” she meant wash with soap and water, in-between my grimy fingers, including the outside of my hands clear up to my elbows! How many of us would willingly eat off of a plate that was only wiped of its old dirty food? Not many. Yet many of us think we can come to God’s table and eat with dirty hearts. We foolishly think that God has got to excuse our filthy behavior and then we wonder why in the world we are suffering the consequences of our own sin! Like David, we need a prayer of full cleansing.
God desires to do so much more than we can even imagine. He loves us so very much. Not only does God create but also he can restore. He longs to restore us to our rightful position in fellowship with him! It takes contrition, it takes confession, it takes cleansing, it takes asking for forgiveness and it is here that we discover that David has…
VI. A desire for a new heart and life! (vv. 10-12)
1. David learned that the Law left him limping in the dark, but grace gave him a light to walk by!
1) David is laying the foundation of the New Testament doctrine of the new birth and the new life found in Jesus Christ. Paul would declare, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Paul writes that we should “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires... be made new in the attitude of your minds... put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV) A new heart and a new life can be found in Jesus Christ. What David desired can be ours today because of Jesus!
2) David would realize that “the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23 NIV) yet how sad that he never knew the truth that “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV)
3) David had the right idea in that it is God who can “Restore... the joy of your salvation and grant... a willing spirit, to sustain” you! When we sin we can confess it, ask for forgiveness, and also ask for the strength to “sin no more.” We may wonder, “How many times?” and the answer is, “As many times as it takes.” This is why John would joyously declare, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9 NIV) Repentance comes from a desire for a new heart and a new life!
EXAMPLE: Many people think, “If I can just get my life together I will be okay.” This is why so many make New Year’s resolutions that never work. You can resolve to be “good” but if being “good” was good enough, Jesus did not have to die on a cross for our sins. Some think that by changing their venue, it will make a difference in their lives, but just because you move your ratty old furniture around does not mean it is different furniture. Whether it is moving, getting more education, or making new friends you still have to deal with the one problem that remains the same: You! You can do all sorts of things to remake yourself and fail to be right with God until you have a desire for a new heart and a new life in Him! This is why Paul would write his wayward friend Timothy, “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.’” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV) You want a new life and a new heart, come back and get right with God like David did.
Conclusion:
The outcome in David's life brought about a change in character. He came out of the depths of sin. He said, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you... my tongue will sing of your righteousness... my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” David learned what God desired from him: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Have you sinned? Follow David's example today! You can come out of the depths of sin and back into the loving arms of God. All it takes is a heartfelt cry for forgiveness, a complete sincere confession, a prayer for full cleansing, and a desire for a new heart and life!
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
July 24, 2011 AM
For countless generations spectators have looked on in breathless wonder as they have witnessed and read the story concerning a helpless man dealing with a personal problem that clearly has no human solution. They have clearly listened to the sobs of his pain and seen the tears of his confession. Although a king of a great nation, he is now viewed for what he truly is -- a helpless sinner guilty of sins that put him beyond the remedy provided by the Law. Fear laces his soul, confession comes from his lips, brokenness is found in his heart and hope is discovered if he is willing to come out of the depths of sin!
King David had it all, wealth, power, military victory after military victory. He could do no wrong until one afternoon he deliberately took a walk on his balcony overlooking the rooftops nearby. He knew what he would see, the alluring wife of Uriah the Hittite taking a bath. He desired her more than anything else he had. He even went so far as to plan adultery and execute Uriah's murder. These were what blackened the soul of King David. For almost a year he fooled himself until one day fearless Nathan came and confronted this immoral king. David could not escape. What would he do about his sin? How would David deal with his sin? In reading how David finally came out of the depths of his sin, we can perhaps also discover the path for ourselves. Let’s discover how…
READ: Psalm 51:1-17
Man's greatest need is for forgiveness, but a person has to come to the realization that they need God's pardon. For David everything was fine, so to speak, until he allowed himself to look closely at himself through God's eyes. Then, his outward facade fell apart. God knew him for what he really was. And, in his heart of hearts, David knew it too. In order to come out of the depth of sin we find David in…
I. A heartfelt cry for forgiveness! (vv. 1-2)
1. The one universal prayer God always responds to is: “Forgive me, Lord!”
1) David’s cry was to God and God alone. It was God who could have mercy and pity on David because it was first of all against God he had sinned. David was relying on God's unfailing love (God’s kheh'-sed - loving kindness) and God’s great compassion (rakh'-am - like a mother’s love for her infant)! David wanted out of his well of sin! He wanted God’s embrace!
2) Notice David describes three specific acts of his sin: 1) his transgressions meaning rebellion, 2) his own iniquity meaning perversity and a warped nature, and 3) finally his sin meaning his habitual lifestyle of missing the mark God had set for his life! David fully recognized his situation. He was in rebellion, he was perverse, and he was in sin!
3) And notice he uses three verbs to indicate what he wants God to do! David cries aloud asking God to blot out, rub out, erase, or strike from the record his rebellion, to wash away meaning to stomp out his perversity, and then to cleanse him as if making him naked like a newborn or innocent of his sins! Wow! What a project God had to perform! Nevertheless, David knew God could do it “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions!” (Psalm 103:11-12 NIV)
EXAMPLE: David recognized what most of the modern psychoanalytical world cannot face. Next to a holy and awesome God, we are rebellious, perverted, and sinful! In today's world, we use phrases like “I made a mistake,” or “I blew it,” or “I was wrong,” or any other pathetic platitude just so we do not have to admit we have actually sinned against a holy loving God! We try anything and everything to redefine our sin. When that does not work, we try to rewrite human laws, thinking it will excuse our ungodliness. Rewriting man’s codes does not nullify the eternal laws of God concerning sin. It is only when we are willing to make a heartfelt cry for forgiveness that we can be cleansed!
David at this point was not concerned about the consequences of his sin (there would be some) he was only set on getting rid of the sin itself! It was a burden to be removed, polluted clothes that must be made clean, a fatal disease that must be cured! “God, forgive me!” he cries out of the depths of his anguish. Nathan had told David, “You’re the man.” and David acknowledges, “I am the man!” In order for David to be restored and come out of the depths of his sin, we find him in…
II. A complete sincere confession! (vv. 3-6)
1. Confession should start in the human heart and finish at the line of an open mouth!
1) In these verses, David realizes that his sin condition was twofold in nature. He was a sinner by nature: “I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (v. 5) and that he sinned by choice against God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” It is the same realization anyone must come to in order for their confession to be sincere! We must recognize that we are sinners both by nature and by choice! Why? It proves that we fully understand our problem!
2) When David recognized this fact he also had to understand that God was “proved right” when He spoke and “justified when (He) judged” David’s sin (v. 4)! This can be the toughest part of anyone confessing their sin! They have to recognize God is right and they are wrong! If God was right then David had to make a decision: He had to sincerely confess his sinful condition. David confesses it openly and honestly. But more than this, David had to believe that God would and could forgive him if he was open about his sin! And the same is true for our lives as well.
3) Paul would say, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:10 NIV) It is simply not good enough to say, “I am sorry.” We must confess and acknowledge our sinful nature and condition. We must be specific. We must be sincere. And the reason why is obvious: God knows when are not. Far too often we value our pride more than we value God. Jesus related, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.” (Luke 16:15 NIV)
EXAMPLE: Notice that David did not blame Bathsheba for leading him astray. He did not lay the blame on his parents, his heritage, or the architect who designed his balcony to overlook Bathsheba’s rooftop. David did not blame society and the social circumstances of his day. David did not use the excuse, “Well, everyone else is doing it!” I have discovered that typically when individuals cry, “It’s not my fault!” it usually is. David does something many in our day and age have difficulty doing, he openly declares that he and he alone was wholly responsible for the sins of which he was so ashamed! He was a sinful man held is sin's grasp. He confesses it truthfully and openly. He made a complete sincere confession.
David realized that God knew what he had done. This is why he said, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” David needed not just an outward restoration he needed to be clean completely inside and out. Often today we think that being sad over our condition is enough, however, to come out of sin's depths we find David in…
III. A prayer for full cleansing (vv. 7-9)
1. A good soul cleaning comes from a little of God's elbow grease generously applied to the human heart!
1) No halfway cleaning does David desire. He earnestly declares, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Hyssop was used to dab the lintels and doorposts of Israelite homes with the blood of the Passover lambs (Exodus 12:22). Later, hyssop would be used to give Christ a drink as He hung on the cross. It signified the complete and total cleansing only God could provide. It declared that a sacrifice was needed. Sin always costs something.
2) David wanted his relationship with God totally restored. He longed for it. Moreover, when God pardons him he asks, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.” Because the joy of the Lord used to be, David's strength and he longed to be reunited with God!
EXAMPLE: I remember well how my mother would ask us to wash before supper. Playing was more important to me than eating so I would quickly splash water on my hands. She was not fooled. She always checked! When she said, “Wash!” she meant wash with soap and water, in-between my grimy fingers, including the outside of my hands clear up to my elbows! How many of us would willingly eat off of a plate that was only wiped of its old dirty food? Not many. Yet many of us think we can come to God’s table and eat with dirty hearts. We foolishly think that God has got to excuse our filthy behavior and then we wonder why in the world we are suffering the consequences of our own sin! Like David, we need a prayer of full cleansing.
God desires to do so much more than we can even imagine. He loves us so very much. Not only does God create but also he can restore. He longs to restore us to our rightful position in fellowship with him! It takes contrition, it takes confession, it takes cleansing, it takes asking for forgiveness and it is here that we discover that David has…
VI. A desire for a new heart and life! (vv. 10-12)
1. David learned that the Law left him limping in the dark, but grace gave him a light to walk by!
1) David is laying the foundation of the New Testament doctrine of the new birth and the new life found in Jesus Christ. Paul would declare, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Paul writes that we should “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires... be made new in the attitude of your minds... put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV) A new heart and a new life can be found in Jesus Christ. What David desired can be ours today because of Jesus!
2) David would realize that “the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23 NIV) yet how sad that he never knew the truth that “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV)
3) David had the right idea in that it is God who can “Restore... the joy of your salvation and grant... a willing spirit, to sustain” you! When we sin we can confess it, ask for forgiveness, and also ask for the strength to “sin no more.” We may wonder, “How many times?” and the answer is, “As many times as it takes.” This is why John would joyously declare, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9 NIV) Repentance comes from a desire for a new heart and a new life!
EXAMPLE: Many people think, “If I can just get my life together I will be okay.” This is why so many make New Year’s resolutions that never work. You can resolve to be “good” but if being “good” was good enough, Jesus did not have to die on a cross for our sins. Some think that by changing their venue, it will make a difference in their lives, but just because you move your ratty old furniture around does not mean it is different furniture. Whether it is moving, getting more education, or making new friends you still have to deal with the one problem that remains the same: You! You can do all sorts of things to remake yourself and fail to be right with God until you have a desire for a new heart and a new life in Him! This is why Paul would write his wayward friend Timothy, “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.’” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV) You want a new life and a new heart, come back and get right with God like David did.
Conclusion:
The outcome in David's life brought about a change in character. He came out of the depths of sin. He said, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you... my tongue will sing of your righteousness... my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” David learned what God desired from him: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Have you sinned? Follow David's example today! You can come out of the depths of sin and back into the loving arms of God. All it takes is a heartfelt cry for forgiveness, a complete sincere confession, a prayer for full cleansing, and a desire for a new heart and life!
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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