Day 1:
The past few weeks we have been studying scripture in which God invites his people to be in relationship him. This week we turn to a famous passage of individual repentance, Psalm 51, written by King David. After reading through the scripture below, read it again, maybe trying a different translation. Through the week, we’ll build on this passage, but for this first day, focus on the scripture and taking it in.
Psalm 51:1-17
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 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, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that 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 right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Day 2:
Re-read Psalm 51: 1-17.
David is known as a “man after God’s own heart” and was the king to whom all subsequent kings were compared. His is the holy line from Judah that would eventually bring us our Messiah, Jesus. And yet, he was not without sin.
Many people know the story of David and Bathsheba. In this saga alone, David covets, steals, commits adultery, lies, and murders (5 of the 10 commandments broken). In his pursuit of Bathsheba, he grows more and more callous to the sins he’s committing to the point where God needs to send Nathan to open his eyes to his own depravity. This Psalm is his response.
Sometimes we can be like David. In our pursuits of our desires, we, too, can become apathetic to the sins we commit, which is why it is so important to be in community with other Christians who can lovingly call us out on our sin. Without Nathan, David may have continued on the path of destruction. But God had mercy on David, and his grace abounds towards us.
Psalm 51 is a prayer of returning to God and his ways. It is a prayer that we can use to realign our hearts to God’s. We have been given the chance to respond to God’s call, “return to me,” and may we respond as David did.
Day 3:
Re-read Psalm 51: 1-17.
There are great benefits to hand-copying scripture. It increases your focus on the words and aids in memorization. Today, pick a verse from Psalm 51:1-17 (or the whole passage) to copy down in your own hand or to memorize. If neither of those fit with your personality, draw a picture that comes to mind while reading it, or read the passage over multiple times, maybe in a different translation.
There are also some songs that have been made from this passage, and you can find one to listen to or sing (Create in Me a Clean Heart by Keith Green is one, Shane & Shane’s Psalm 51 (Wisdom in the Secret Heart), and the old hymn, Whiter than Snow, takes from this passage as well). The idea is to pause over the Word and let it sink in.
Day 4:
Re-read Psalm 51:1-17.
Today in our Pause, we invite you to pray over the passage. Think through the scripture itself, what you may have learned from Day 2, or what has come to mind in your own personal study, and pray. If you need some help, we’ve provided a prayer below.
Lord, Thank you for your steadfast love and abundant mercy. Give me eyes to see my own wrongdoing and cleanse me from my sin. Create a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me. Surround me with people who can speak truth into my life, and let me be someone to do the same. Help me to be bold in declaring your praise and teaching others your ways so that they might, too, return to you. Let me praise you all my days for your righteousness, wisdom, mercy, faithfulness, and love.
Amen
Day 5:
Re-read Psalm 51:1-17.
Reflect and Apply:
What sin is keeping you from experiencing the joy of salvation?
“For you will not delight in sacrifice… The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit” When we come to God in humility, we can experience the fullness of his love and mercy. Reflect on God’s perfect goodness and where you fall short. Confess your sin and soak in his merciful lovingkindness.
Our first response to God’s mercy should always be praise. Take some time today to praise God for all he’s done and for who he is. This can be through worship music, but can also be done through writing out or speaking those things. “God, you are merciful, just, loving,…” “God, you’ve shown your goodness by…”
Based on this week’s passage, take some time to think through an application that you can begin to carry out moving forward.
Please come back Monday morning for the post on Week 4.