Psalm 51

2 Samuel 12, Psalm 32

The tremors that follow the earthquake of sin!

“A Christian must never leave off repenting, for I fear he never leaves off sinning.” Charles H. Spurgeon

A Psalm of genuine Repentance –“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

When Sin separates us from the Joy of the Lord

 Mercy is not what you deserve. Justice is what you deserve. When you get the punishment for what you deserve that is justice. You have it coming. BUT when you don’t get what you deserve, that's mercy. David cries out to God for mercy.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

"Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool”  (Isaiah 1:18).

vv 1-2 David takes ownership of his sin. It is me, it was my sin, I deserve discipline, please give me mercy.

 Blot out my transgression–noun an act of transgressing; violation of a law, command, etc.; sin.

Wash me- iniquity-noun, gross injustice or wickedness.a violation of right or duty;                      wicked act; sin.

Purify me from my sin- noun transgression of divine law: the sin of Adam, a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.

to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes,adulterates, or contaminates:  to free from foreign, extraneous, or objectionable elements, to free from guilt or evil to clear or purge (usually fol. by of or from ).to make clean for ceremonial or ritual use.

vv 3-6 I know who I am and what I have done. 

v3 My sin haunts me- haunts- to disturb or distress; cause to have anxiety;  trouble; worry:

v4  I have broken your laws God, The sin against God is the greater sin. David was sorry for the sin,  not just the results of the sin as were Esau, Saul and Judas.

  Jesus tells the story of the Prodical son 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, Luke 15:14

vv 4-5 David pleads his case before the Father- I chose to sin, your judgement is just, remember tho’ that I inherited this sinful nature. 

v6  David’s confession-I have been living a lie, I tried to cover it up. I have sinned. I know You desire TRUTH, teach me to be wise. I fell to the passions of temptations.

vv 7-12  Hear my prayer oh God- Cleanse me as you did the leper- Lev 14:6-7 , pronounce me clean

1.       v 7-Purify me (hyssop-a herb that was like a sponge, that had fine leaves as in a paint brush, used in blood sacrifices, it held and spread the blood,  i.e. over the door posts (Exo 12:22), John 19:29,

2.       v 7-Wash me- remove the filth of my sin

3.       v 8-Restore my hearing- I can’t hear you Lord,  Make me to hear joy and gladness let me rejoice again in you. Let me sing and make music before You.

4.       v 9- Remove the stain-every time I see it, I know You see it, I can’t live with my past continually before me.

5.       v 10- Create in me (‘bara’ Gen 1:1 to create, shape, form) David wants God to make new in him a clean heart, a new created heart, not a restored or regenerated heart but one a new beginning, justification (just as tho’ he had never sinned.)  “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25  “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Cor 5:17 NLT

6.       v 11- Don’t remove Your spirit, Your call on my life. (Holy Spirit is used here for the first time in the O.T and only one other time in Isa 63:10-11 “But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. That is why he became their enemy and fought against them. Then they remembered those days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They cried out, "Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among his people?”

7.       v 12  Restore unto me, the joy of my salvation. Sin and joy cannot reside together.

Sin causes depression,  but joy causes great exhultation - “The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor”. Esther 8:16         Joy- the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation

8.        v 12 Sin is defeated and Jesus is Lord- make me willing to obey and follow your paths.

Lord, I want to be used by You!

vv 13-17 Here I am use me- set me apart. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—1 Cor 1:30

Actions following forgiveness –

1.      v 13-  I will teach others what You have done for me. I have been there and I have done that.

2.      v 14-15  Walk in relationship with God through prayer, and praise. Give me a heart for praise.

3.      vv 16-17 Keep me humble.  Don’t let me fall into the trap of offering  You empty worship.  Shatter my pride, my ego, my wants, thoughts and opinions and bring  from me that sweet smelling aroma that is acceptable and pleasing to You, my God.

Brokenness replaced with total Grace- Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin." 2 Samuel 12: 13 NLT

vv18-19 David looks forward-a prayer for his people-

          look with favor

          help her

          rebuild her

then You will be pleased with the sacrificed offered their on your altar.

Do the Jewish people still offered sacrifices for their sin? 

No, In A.D. 70, the Roman general Titus marched into Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, and those people have not had a place to offer sacrifices for over 1900 years. Interestingly, the last verse in the Jewish Bible is found in our book of 2 Chronicles. “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up” (2 Chronicles 36:23). That is, the last thing a Jewish person reads in his Bible is an admonition to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple that had been destroyed.

Basically, the problem stems from the fact that they have no place to sacrifice. In Deuteronomy 12:13-14, the Lord said, “Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere. You may do so only at the place the LORD will choose within one of your tribal territories. There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you."