Foundations Week 18, Day 1

Scripture Read: Psalm 51
Title: David's Prayer of Brokenness
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H.E.A.R. Entry
(H) Highlight verse:  "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, o God you will not despise."  Psalm 51:17

(E) Explain:  This is the prayer of David that he composes after the sin with Bathsheba is exposed.  The king comes to the realization that he has sinned and he disries restoration and cleanshing but he also acknowledges that his cleansing and new life does not come through ritualistic means.  Most people in this time knew that if they sinned they would just have to go through the rituals of cleansing and then they would feel alright with God.  This is the ritual of religion… trying to do something for Go and ultimately not really doing anything to change or guard yourself from it happening again.  David acknowledges what God truly desires of him...

• Humble spirit – To know and understand the magnitude of sin and change his sinful ways.
• Remorseful heart – True repentance.  Repentance is not just being sorry for what you did.  Repentance can be defined as “being sorry enough to change.” 

(A) Application:  In this Psalm we see the heart of a man who is truly broken and repentant.  As I look over this Psalm I see four "plea's" from king David and they make for good application for us when we seek the forgivenness of God when sin has overtaken us in our lives.

• The plea for mercy (Vs 1):  Once David’s sin is exposed He goes to God and begs for pity on him and for Him to be gracious and show favor to him.  David knew he was guilty of sin, but he also knew God was a loving and forgiving God.  He wasn’t asking for forgiveness because he wanted an escape route or even because he deserved it; he was genuinely pleading for God in His loving kindness to grant him mercy. 
• The plea of confession and forgiveness (Vs 2, 3):  Upon acknowledging his sin David begs God for forgiveness.  The remorse has become so great that the only thing that can make the guilt subside is to plead for a washing away of his trespass.  He publicly confesses his sin to God and this is his act of repentance.  David knows he has done wrong in the site of God and he owns up to his sin. 
• The plea for cleansing (Vs 7 – 9):  The king is asking God to blot out or obliterate from His memory the transgression before him.  The process spoken of in verse 7a (purge me with hyssop) is the cleansing ritual of a leper.  In 7b the washing may refer to the ritual washing that was involved after contact with a dead person.  He knows he is unclean and he acknowledges his unworthiness and seeks to be purged and cleansed by God so that he may be spiritually cleansed.      
• The plea for spiritual restoration/ New life (Vs 10 - 12):  David knows his sin is great.  He knows the consequences of sin also meant separation from God.  He asks God to create and make new his heart and restore his spirit because both have become dirty and foul.  He begs that God would not cast him from his presence but instead give him back the joy he once had in the salvation God had promised.

David longed for what you and I have today.  He was awaiting a Savior, one who would take away the sins of the world and establish a new covenant with his people.  He longed for the intercessor (Jesus) to come and stand in His place so that all would be made right with God.  

(R) Respond: LORD, when I fall into sin, may I truly come to you in full repentance... Seeking mercy, repentance, and restoration.  May I never become so prideful to where I cannot see my sinful ways and refuse to repent.  May I continual have a broken and contrite heart before you.