Lessons in Psalm 51

L & D CLASSICS

BQ NO 70 -  WHAT SPIRITUAL TRUTHS CAN WE LEARN FROM THE STUDY OF PSALM 51?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Psalm 51 carries a preamble which identifies the author and the circumstances under which he wrote it. The Psalm is believed to have been written by David following his rebuke by prophet Nathan after his sin with Bathsheba wife of Uriah the Hittite.

The story of Davids rebuke and repentance is found in 2Samuel 12.

The Psalm reveals David’s brokenness and his acknowledgement of God’s grace and sovereignty in forgiving and cleansing sin. It also reveals the moral lessons that the writer learnt from his imprudence.

DAVIDS PLEA FOR GOD'S MERCY AND CLEANSING

Psalm 51 opens with a plea by David for God's mercy (51:1). There are a number of specific pleas by David spread across this Psalm that we shall identify as we progress in our study.

David's opening words reveal some of the divine attributes of God. He is full of lovingkindness and is tender in mercy. These are powerful biblical truths that should be uppermost in our minds as we approach the presence of God each day.

God's lovingkindness and mercy are unconditional and no man can exhibit the tenderness of God in extending undeserved grace to sinful men. The Bible teaches in Romans 5:8 that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

In Psalm 51:1-2, David pleads with God to blot out his transgressions and thoroughly wash his iniquity and cleanse him from his sin.

This passage contains heavy Hebrew parallelism which involves the use of different words to express the same idea. For instance, blotting out transgressions is essentially the same thing as cleansing or washing the sin or iniquity.

This implies that God alone has the sovereign prerogative and power to forgive sin and to permanently blot it away from us forever.

Unlike us who often forgive and keep records of offenses, God forgives and totally forgets, never bringing them again to our charge!

The Bible teaches in Psalm 103:12 that "As far as the east is from the west, So far has God removed our transgressions from us."

It is instructive to note that no church Bishop, minister, pastor or priest has the authority or power to forgive sin. God never delegated this authority to any man.

Christ alone holds the sovereign authority to blot away our sins by means of the atoning power of His sinless blood that He shed at Calvary to purchase us for Himself (Acts 20:28).

This biblical truth deals a big blow to Roman Catholic traditions and doctrines which vest the power of remission of sin on their priests through the confession box.

Let us for a moment compare this passage with the parallel truths revealed in Psalm 102 which describes the pain of sinful disobedience and God's judgment.

THE DEPRAVITY OF SIN: PARALLEL LESSONS FROM PSALM 102

The imagery of the pelican and the desert owl in Psalm 102:6-7 portrays a forlorn life of isolation. This is how low sin can take us in our disobedience! The reproach from the psalmist's enemies reveals the shame and humiliation that sin heaps on us (Psalm 102:8)

The next three verses of Psalm 102:9-12 reveal the pain of God's judgment on the sinner. The psalmist mourned and wept because of God's righteous judgment upon him.

The fact that the psalmist admits that God had cast him away (Psalm 102:10) is evidence that his fellowship with God was broken by sin.

This is true of us as well. Sin drives and isolates us away from the presence of God. We should therefore always quickly repent to avoid the alienation from God's divine presence.

It is grievous and perilous to persist in sinful rebellion because by so doing we shall be exposed to spiritual attacks and humiliation from Satan.

SIN AS A VIOLATION OF GOD'S LAW

Now back to Psalm 51.

Psalm 51:3-4 records David’s admission of guilt which had goaded him continually.

More significantly, David acknowledges that his sin with Bathsheba was primarily a violation of God's divine law even though it was a sin against the woman and her husband in that it violated the sanctity of the marriage covenant.

God was indeed justified in punishing David for his sin. God may severely punish us for our disobedience but we do know from the Bible that God tampers justice with mercy.

The Bible teaches in Psalm 103:10 that God does not punish us as our sins deserve! He is a gracious God! Without God's grace and mercy none of us can be alive.

David deserved to be deposed from the throne and executed for his sin but God chose to show him special mercy, perhaps on account of David’s own previous life of faithfulness.

Instead God took away the life of David’s son from the illicit affair (2Samuel 12:15-23).

Do you know that by God's divine standards, none of us deserves to be alive today?

Yet God in Christ graciously chose to forgive us, sinful as we are! (Psalm103:10-13).

THE TRAIL OF ADAMIC SIN AND THE INNER TRANSORMATION IN CHRIST

In Psalm 51:5, David admits his innate sinfulness, saying, "behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me."

David rightly recognizes the perpetuity of the sin of Adam following his fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam's sin was subsequently imputed upon all generations of men until Christ.

When Jesus was revealed, He took that sin on the cross for those who believe in Him. Only Christ and Christ alone was conceived without sin.

Again, contrary to doctrines of Roman Catholic theology, Mary the mother of Jesus was herself born sinful and was saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Those who are in Christ have been justified by His redeeming blood so that they are adjudged righteous before God. This however does not suggest that we are sinless or perfect while on earth! If that was the case then 1John 1:8-10 should be expunged or removed from the Bible!

Psalm 51:6 confirms that the truth of God's word is not subject to relativism as some false teachers claim today. It is based on God's desire to transform us inwardly so that we are daily renewed in our knowledge of God and grow in Christ.

2 Cor. 5:17 says "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."

We daily live by God's grace and by the leading of His Spirit and should willingly submit to the process of spiritual and moral sanctification by the Holy Spirit.

Subsequently, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are better able to discern the holy standards of God and to desire to walk in a manner consistent with the truths revealed in the word of God.

David learnt these truths after his tragedy with Bathsheba and it's aftermath. We too can learn from his mistakes.

THE PURGING OF THE REPENTANT HEART

In Psalm 51:7-9 Davids revisits his earlier plea for cleansing. This emphasis is significant in showing the depth of his anguish and his desire for total spiritual restoration from his sin.

The mention of purging by hyssop in Psalm 51:7 is significant for it underscores David’s wholehearted desire to be freed from the power of guilt. This washing by hyssop was a process of ritual cleansing described in Leviticus 14:4 and Numbers 19:6.

How badly do you seek to return to Christ when you fall into sinful disobedience?

I once counseled a youth leader who had fallen into sexual sin and made a girl pregnant in his rural home. As we went through the process, the young man broke down and wept bitterly saying that he had set a bad example for the youth who looked up to him and he uncontrollably wept and mourned over his sinful disobedience.

I had no doubt in my mind that the young man was remorseful. His conduct after the counseling process proved to me that he was not given to habitual sinfulness.

The young man was totally restored and he went on to serve the Lord.

Notice that David did not repeat his transgressions. He learnt from his mistakes and became a better man. The Bible reveals that he was later approved of God. Acts 13:22 says that David was a man after God's heart.

Can you think of the times you have disobeyed God?

Were you remorseful and were you broken in his presence?

What moral lessons did you learn from the imprudence?

THE RENEWAL AND RESTORATION OF THE SINFUL HEART

Psalm 51:8-12 speaks of David’s desire for spiritually healing and total restoration.

The joy and gladness mentioned in Psalm 51:8 are symbols or marks of a restored soul which is free from the goading of guilt.

The enemy often seeks to bring to our memories the pains of our unpleasant past. We should turn those memories to God, reminding the enemy that we were forgiven and fully restored.

David then asks God not to hide His face from his sins. This is a plea that God should not reject him but mercifully restore him. This is the desire of any erring saint.

Psalm 51:10 is perhaps the most famous Scripture of this powerful psalm. David prays to God asking Him to create in him a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within him. A clean heart is one without any known sinful condemnation. 1John 3:21 says "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God."

God is the only source of true spiritual restoration and renewal of our souls. No one can justify us except Christ and any false accusation by Satan stands condemned. Psalm 54:17 says "No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
you shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord."

THE POWER OF A CONTRITE HEART

David's plea in Psalm 51:10 is in effect a request for total transformation in attitude and conduct so that we are constantly aware of God's divine standards concerning us and are better able to obey Him in circumstances that our moral fabric is tested (cf. James 1:2-4).

Joseph had such a clean heart when he wrested his way from the grip of Potiphar's amorous wife who desired to draw him into sinful disobedience.

Joseph was conscious of God's standards for him even though he was in a foreign land, serving as a slave.

Notice the question he possed to this wicked Egyptian woman in Genesis 39:9, saying "How then can I do this wickedness and sin against God?"

Does this question inform your moral view today?

Some of us try to rationalize our disobedience in an attempt to justify it based on the circumstances. You may hear a believer argue, "What did you expect me to do in that situation? I was just helpless....!"

Nothing could be further from the truth! The Bible teaches that no temptation is too hard for God's people to escape. 1 Cor. 10:13 says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

James 1:13-14 says "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God" for God cannot be tempted by evil no does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires and enticed."

David could have found a lame excuse for his sin with Bathsheba but nothing could have deflected God's righteous anger against him!

We should therefore not defend but rather repent our sins! Period!

LESSONS FROM DISOBEDIENCE

Notice that David promised God that he will use the lessons learnt from his disobedience to "teach transgressors your ways and sinners shall be converted to you" (Psalm 51:13).

This is true of us too. We may save many from following the slippery paths of disobedience that we happened to have walked so that they may escape such snares.

The million dollar question is this: Do we teach others by our painful experiences and do we learn from the mistakes of others?

THE CLEANSING OF BLOOD GUILT

In Psalm 51:14, David admits his guilt of murder. He had arranged with Joab, his army commander, for the murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah.

Uriah was not a Jew but a Hittite. He was one of David’s elite officers, perhaps a distinguished soldier who was part of David’s fugitive band during his wilderness experience. His beautiful wife did not escape David’s lustful eyes and Satan took advantage of David’s weakness over women to bring him down.

After sleeping with Bathsheba, she got pregnant and reported it to the king. David quickly devised a cover up plan  and called for her husband to be given a royal discharge from the battle front so that he may return to his wife.

Uriah, who was an innocent and faithful officer in David's army, honorably turned Davids royal overtures which were intended to make him return to his wife as part of the cover up.

Uriah slept outside the door of the king's house in solidarity with his colleagues who were at the battlefront (read 2Samuel 11). He could not bear the shame of seeking pleasure when his colleagues were facing danger out there!

When David noticed that his tricks had failed, he opted to place Uriah in harms way and the man was finally killed in battle. David quickly took Bathsheba as his wife.

God was watching David’s every move and was sorely displeased by David’s evil. He determined to punish him for his sins (see 2 Samuel 11:26-27). He does the same in our time. His standards can never be lowered to accommodate our moral excesses!

God ultimately forgave David for his brokenness but He took the life of the child from his sinful union with Bathsheba as part of a series of punishments on him.

In Psalm 51:15 David reveals his desire to praise God. This is part of his restoration from guilt so that his spiritual confidence was ultimately restored. Only God can restore our confidence and strength after our disobedience.

This is an important truth for every believer undergoing restoration from moral disobedience.

We need to humble ourselves in the presence of God so that He may restore us.

We should not run away from God in rebellion when we fall in sin. Instead we should subject ourselves to personal and corporate church discipline so that we are restored fully.

God has vested spiritual responsibility on our church community leaders to restore the erring to the way of Christ.

THE POWER OF A BROKEN HEART

Psalm 51:16 -17 reveals deep spiritual truths concerning God's expectations of us. David says God neither desires sacrifices or burnt offerings, things that David would have gladly provided in exchange for his cleansing.

However, David acknowledges by the leading of the Holy Spirit that God desires a broken spirit and a contrite heart above all else.

This does not imply that an atoning sacrifice was irrelevant but that God's pleasure is not in the burnt offering but in the full restoration of the heart of the sinner!

David was truly broken for his sinfulness and this is the reason that God restored him fully. The reason that we often walk in spiritual defeat may have to do with our unwillingness to be completely remorseful and penitent.

King Saul was not remorseful for his disobedience and that explains why God flatly rejected him. He was proud and defensive even when confronted with his sins.

Do you acknowledge your sins?

Are you carrying the burdens of unconfessed sin in your heart?

God is asking us to yield to the admonition of His Spirit and repent in truth so that He may restore us to His ways.

Finally, we learn from the life of David that he touched the heart of God by his obedience and pursuit of the things of God.

God proclaims a powerful tribute on the faithfulness of David, saying in Acts 13:22, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will."

What greater honor could David have received from God!

The LORD overlooked David’s chequered past but could not forget his zeal for God.

None of us is perfect but God looks at us in a wholesome way through the blood of Christ.

CONCLUSION

Many people today desire to leave a great legacy of power and social influence, including great wealth or possessions but few people care to touch the heart of God by their righteous living the way David and other faithful saints of old did.

David had his many failings yet one thing distinguished him above all else: his desire to please God and to do his will.

David later desired to build God's temple in Jerusalem but God forbade him from doing it and instead commanded that it shall be built by his son Solomon.

David however gathered the temple materials and left it to Solomon to build the temple which was later destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. However we do know that the temple was David’s vision.

What dreams do you seek to accomplish for God in your life?

How will you and I be remembered by God when our days are gone and what shall we have to our credit when we appear in the presence of Christ?

Paul looked forward to the crown of righteousness even as he awaited his death in a Roman prison (2Timothy 4:7-8).

He had finished the race and kept the faith. To his credit, Paul preached the gospel in a far larger geographical realm than his Jerusalem counterparts did. Paul also wrote 13 New Testament Epistles.

David wrote most of the Psalms we read in the Bible today, thanks to his life of spiritual devotion and unwavering faith in God. He was a brave warrior and a great worshipper of God who built his spiritual intimacy in the presence of God and loved the word of God.

What describes you and me in our generation?

How is your walk with God today?

Are you walking in the liberty that Christ has ordained for His saints or are you dwelling in sinful disobedience and carrying the burden and guilt of unconfessed sin?

Psalm 51 can be summed up in one statement: Sin is grievous but there is power in the blood of Christ to cleanse our sin if we  approach His throne of grace with brokenness of heart.

Shalom.

[This article first appeared on the L & D WhatsApp Forum on 5th November 2016. It was sparingly revised on 2nd May 2019]