Psalm 51: 6-13 demonstrates David seeking forgiveness for what he has done and shows his sorrowful heart. “Behold thou doth desire truth in the innermost being and in the hidden part thou will purify me with hyssop.” David says “purge me with hyssop and wash me and I will be whiter than snow—make me hear joy and gladness…blot out all of my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart in me O God and do not cast me away from thy presence and do not take thy holy spirit from me, restore to me the joy of thy salvation.”
Then he says something profound: “then I will teach transgressors thy ways.” David seeks God’s forgiveness, but what he will do with the forgiveness is powerful. “Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways and sinners will be converted to Thee!” Evangelism will come out of David’s sin. People will come to know Yahweh because of David's repentance. David will take something evil and make it into something good. David will "walk the talk" of verses 1-12. There are those who question what the Old Testament person knew about salvation and grace. He knew more about grace then we think. He knew about sin, the need for repentance, he knew it was only God who would do that for him, he knew he needed to be purged by blood (hyssop), he even knew what it meant to be born again as David said create in me a NEW heart.
Our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. The question is whether or not you will take the brokenness and teach others the ways of Yahweh. You have not sunk so low that Christ cannot save you. Page after page, and verse after verse throughout the canon of Scripture, we see God mightily using broken and downright sinful men and women. Praise the Lord for Psalm 51.
I would love your feedback or interactions. Feel free to post here or email me privately at clbetters@grpc.org.
1 comment:
When we really soak in Psalm 51 we eventually leave with practical application of our theology. Just as you pointed out, repentance ultimately leads to serving God because the grace we experience cannot and must not be kept to ourselves. Psalm 51 doesn't leave us in the gutter of guilt or remorse but rather lifts us up into the lap of God in a way that equips and energizes us to go out with joy with an eagerness to share His grace with others.
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