I only played one year of soccer. Too much running!

2 Samuel 12 & Psalms 51

To review…David goes headlong into a series of wicked and sinful actions. The prophet Nathan confronts him and his heart melts in repentance and remorse. What is in David’s heart after he is confronted by Nathan? Fortunately for us, it is revealed in the prayer of contrition in Psalms 51. Blot out my transgressions

Within days of being confronted, David prayerfully pens Psalms 51 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. David starts out with, “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgression.” The first thing I think about in reading this is that as Christians, those of us who are in Christ, we should embrace the fact that we are the recipients of something we don’t deserve. There are three aspects to the results of our sin.

1) our sin warrants eternal separation from God. Eternal condemnation.

2) our sin destroys our relationship with a God.

3) our sin produces natural consequence here on earth; the natural effects of sowing and reaping. Let’s look at all three.

The first aspect is the reality that there is no condemnation for those of us in Christ. Sometimes when we sin we are tempted to doubt this, because our nature is to believe we get what we deserve. But David goes right after this aspect and calls upon God to be gracious and compassionate and blot out his sins. David voices his appeal to God of forgiveness KNOWING already that it has happened because God has already settled the issue in His covenant with David. Just as He has settled it with us under the New Covenant for those of us in Christ. We are forgiven. There is no condemnation. David takes full responsibility for his sin. He acknowledges that it was evil against God but nevertheless, he claims the forgiveness that he knows God has already given him.

The second aspect of sin is the harm done to our relationship with God. In the next part of this Psalm, David pursues restoration in his relationship with God. “Make me to hear joy and gladness…create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence…restore to me the joy of your salvation,” verses 8-12. These words express the renewal of a vibrant relationship. This is a blessing that we don’t deserve as well. God responds to our repentance and contrition and doesn’t shut us out or hold a grudge toward us even when we have done evil toward him. He forgives, and He restores. The sacrifices that God readily accepts “are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise,” vs 17. Brokenness over our sins restores our relationship with God. He opposes the proud but draws near to the humble.

The third aspect of our sins are natural earthly consequences. For this aspect, there’s no guarantee that God will remove the consequences. Back in 2 Samuel 12, Nathan makes it clear to David that his family will suffer the consequences of his wicked sins. But David prays for it anyway. David was told that because of the evil he did with Uriah’s wife, the baby conceived will die. David fasted and prayed that God would spare this child, but he died anyway shortly after his birth. David prays here in Psalms 51 that his kingdom would not suffer the full consequences of his sin. He prayed, “By your favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem,” vs 19. Even though there were consequences, God ultimately honored this prayer.

Pray that God would limit the consequences of your sin and then accept whatever happens with humility. Lord, we are forever grateful for your grace and forgiveness. May we not take advantage of your grace as a license to sin. But instead, purify our hearts, give us a passion for righteousness, to do good and be kind. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Amen!