(Psalm 51)
David tells us how sin makes you feel:
Dirty– Sin makes us feel stained. David needed something no religion, ritual, or determination could do. Only God can do this type of cleansing.
Deaf– David had become deaf to the voice of the Lord. (It’s not someone else’s fault that you are deaf to God) His soft heart and spiritual tenderness toward the Lord had been overruled by his sin
Disgraced – Sin shames us. When sin is present in your life and its exposed, you feel ashamed to show your face.
Destitute – David needed a heart only God could give. He knew that his inner person, the heart, was the source of his trouble, and he was incapable of changing it on his own. David needed the Creator to create a miracle on his behalf.
Distant– David had known the Lord’s Special touch, His Anointing. David was not dealing with salvation but with God’s spiritual wisdom and hand of guidance. Now it all felt so far away.
David did this…to himself.
If you are there tonight, listen because there is hope. There is a way to restoration, and freedom.
David shows us that we don’t have to believe that lie. We all mess up at times, but God will forgive us and use us again. David’s life shows us:
Three Ways to Conquer Our Iniquity.
- Come Completely Clean
Psalm 51:2-6 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Sin shuts the lips, but grace opens the lips to praise. Have you ever just not felt like singing? Often the reason is from the guilt of sin. I have never met someone who is right with Christ and fails to worship him.
- David acknowledged that God was the only One who could take away his sin.
(vs.2) “Wash me…and cleanse me from my sin.”
- David didn’t try to hide his sin any longer.
(vs.3) “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”
- David admitted that he deserved God’s discipline.
(vs.4) “…I have… done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified…when You judge.”
- David realized he had been a sinner from birth.
(vs.5) “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”
- God already knows everything we’ve said, thought and done. He simply wants us to be honest about it.
(vs.6) “…You desire truth in the innermost being…”
- Call Christ For Help
Psalm 51:7 Purify me…and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Once David was honest enough to admit his sin, he was also humble enough to know that God was his only hope to be clean!?Look how God blesses the humble:
– God listens to the humble:
Psalm 10:17 O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear.
– God leads the humble:
Psalm 25:9 He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.
– God looks toward the humble:
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of?the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
– God lifts the humble:
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.
- Come Colliding Back
Psalm 51:8-12 Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones, which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.
The only way to have peace, joy and true happiness as a Christian is to be right with God.
(vs.8) “Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice.”
It is such a beautiful collision when we submit our lives to Christ. As the crash of Sin takes you down the Collision of Repentance and Grace restores you.
Ask God to strengthen you so you don’t mess up in that area again. Become unwavering.
(vs.10) “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
God will never abandon you just because you mess up.
(vs.11-12) “Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.”
Notice that David didn’t say, “Restore to me Your salvation.” He said, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” A true believer cannot lose their salvation.
So what about the people who claim to be saved but just walk away from God and the church? The Apostle John described them this way:
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
When a person can just walk away from God with no shame or remorse; they prove they were never really saved to begin with.
When David messed up with God, he realized the way back to Him was by being honest, humble and in a hurry to get things right with Him! Verse 13 shows how God used David again when he did this:
Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.
David destroyed so much when he sinned, but when he crashed back into the Lord and served him faithfully God placed David on His Radar used him in Mighty Ways.