| Introduction This psalm has a special message for several groups of people. · First, Psalm 51 is for those who have never come to grips with the horror of human sin and the magnitude of divine grace. · Second, this psalm is for those who think some people are too high or too holy to fall. · Third, this psalm is also for those who think that once you have fallen, you can never get back up again. · Fourth, Psalm 51 is for those who think that if you have fallen and have actually gotten back up, perhaps even forgiven, you are still useless from that point on both to God and the church. I. The historical setting for this psalm is stated in the title. None of us likes to have our struggles and problems broadcast publicly, much less our sins of the flesh. Yet here we are told that this psalm was written "To the Chief Musician"! How would you like for your worst sins to be projected on the screen at church and set to music for the corporate worship of God's people? II. On what basis does David ask for acquittal, 1-2? Does he appeal to his track record as King over Israel? Does he remind God of how many psalms he has written and how much of a blessing they've been to God's children? Does he cite his faithful service or marshal forth a long list of character witnesses? Not in the least. He doesn't expect to be forgiven based on his sincerity or spiritual intensity or deep pain for having sinned or fervor of heart or promise not to sin again or his depth of determination to somehow "make it up" to God. Note the three words David uses in vv. 1-2 to describe his sin. Equally vivid are the three words he uses in his plea for forgiveness III. When David turns, in vv. 3-4, to confess the magnitude of his sin, his language is no less graphic. David makes no excuses, offers no rationalizations, and refuses to shift blame. There's no insanity plea or appeal to diminished capacity. My sin, he says, "is always before me" (v. 3b). David's confession is not simply to "get things off his chest", as if confession were merely a therapeutic release of sorts. His confession is designed to tell everyone that God was in the right all along, that God's judgment was true, just, and that the Almighty is blameless (v. 4b). IV. How long has David had this problem with sin? Did it start with puberty? Was he turned to the "dark side" by some childhood or teen-aged trauma? "The problem," says David, "isn't so much that I sin. The problem is that I'm sinful, and always have been. These deeds of the flesh are symptomatic of a much deeper problem. The fact is, 'I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.' (v. 5). My transgressions are not of recent vintage. This was no freak, one-off event. I've been a sinner from my mother's womb!" So, David confesses his sin nature (v. 5) as the root cause of his actual sin (v. 4), but makes no effort to excuse himself on that basis. Psalm 51 is a refreshing and heart-warming reminder of the hope of forgiveness. V. David not only prays for pardon from past sin but also for the power to walk in future purity. He makes an impassioned plea for ceremonial cleansing, 7. But David longs for more. Sin can be as spiritually devastating and painful to the soul as broken bones are to the body, thus his cry: "That the bones You have broken may rejoice," 8b. David's desire is that his entire being, body, soul, and spirit might once again revel and rejoice in the blessedness of communion with God. Once more he prays: "Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities," 9. VI. With verses 10-12 David's prayer gets even more specific. He petitions the Lord for spiritual power (v. 10), spiritual presence (v. 11), and spiritual pleasure (v. 12). Simply asking for pardon isn't enough. One must also have the power by which not to commit the same sin again. No mere "makeover" will do, no matter how "extreme"! David can't bear the thought of the loss of intimacy of fellowship and its accompanying joys, and thus prays that he not be cast from God's "presence" or suffer the loss of God's Spirit, 11. God's power, God's presence, and yes, even God's pleasure is at the heart of David's prayer: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation," 12a! VII. David concludes with a vow of commitment in vv. 13-19. It is possible for the fallen to be forgiven and used of God in ministry to others. Note also the relationship between testimony and praise in 13-15. People have often misunderstood the concluding verses of Psalm 51 (particularly vv. 16-17), thinking that God has rejected his own appointed sacrifices. Conclusion God is in the business of rebuilding cracked lives and shattered dreams. His "lovingkindness" (v. 1a) is a soul-cleansing power, his "multitude of tender mercies" (v. 1b) a force for restoring long lost hope. All he asks of you is a "broken spirit" and a "contrite heart" (v. 17a). These, says David, he will "not despise" (v. 17b).  | |||
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Friday, August 24, 2012
Scrubbed Clean - Ps. 51 (Based on Essay by Sam Storms)
