The Psalm of Confession (Part 1)

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Psalm 51

You will also remember the historical setting of Psalm 51; king David had taken Bathsheba the wife of Uriah in an adulterous affair.  Then, he had Uriah killed and covered up the entire thing.  

Please notice the heading given to us at the beginning of this great Psalm:  Read II Samuel 12:115.

*David had committed not 1 but 2 sins of adultery and murder that were punishable by death under O.T. law.  And yet, we find one of the greatest testimonies of God’s incredible forgiveness found anywhere in the Bible.  Psalm 51 has been a source of strength and encouragement for many.

Have you ever found yourself in a bad predicament because of a sin you committed?  If you have then Psalm 51 is for you.  Perhaps you are there now or know what that terrible feeling is like.  Perhaps you know someone suffering from theirs sins!  Let us learn from a man after God’s own heart how we can properly confess and be restored back to a right relationship with God after our grievous sin!

In the first 9 verses we find 3 important points to consider:

1. A Cry for Help in Verses 1-2—David begins with crying out to God in his sinful state.  David is genuine, intuitive, passionate and profound.  There are 2 key points which characterize David’s cry to God for help:
   1. A Desperate Clinging to God’s Grace and Mercy in Verse 1—This is the foundation for a right relationship to God…We only way we dare to come to God is in light of His grace and mercy.  
      1. Where did David learn of God’s mercy? —From God’s own Word!  “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”— Exodus 33:19.  
      2. Application—According to this passage the most important thing sinners need to know, the very essence of God to us; is God’s mercy and grace.
      3. 3 key words—Describe God’s character and behavior towards sinners:
         1. “Mercy”—God pities us in our sins and bestows forgiveness 
         2. “Unfailing Love”—God is continuously relating to us in grace and mercy
         3. “Compassion”—Teaches us that God feels for our infirmities   
      4. Application—Let us always keep in mind that this is what God is actually like.  Oftentimes, when we sin we run from God.  David runs to God.
   2. A Deep Awareness of Sin—There are 3 key words which describe how God relates to sinners.  Now we have 3 key words for how we relate to God in our sin:
      1. “Transgression”—This word has to do with overstepping the line. Crossing a forbidden boundary in serious rebellion.
         1. Illustration—” Julius Caesar…  
      2. “Iniquity”—This word means ‘perversion’ or ‘crooked’.  This is the word also used in verse 5 and deals primarily with our sin nature.
      3. “Sin”—This word means “to miss the mark” and is a term used in archery. And carries the idea of an arrow falling short of its target.  
      4. Remember—Psalms 32 and 51 are related.  But, Psalm 32 was written sometime later after a good bit of reflection and time to consider what happened when David sinned against God, Bathsheba and Uriah.  Psalm 51 was written almost immediately after Nathan revealed David’s sin and “breathes with the breath of the moment”  
2. A Confession of Sin in Verses 3-6—Did you notice the emphasis on “3” in this Psalm?  3 key words describe how God relates to us, 3 key words describe how we sin against God and now 3 strong statements:
   1. I am aware of my sin in Verse 3—Exactly how “aware” was David of his sin?— Psalm 32:3-4
   2. I know I have sinned in Verse 4—Perhaps one of the most often misquoted passages in this Psalm.  David is NOT saying that he only sinned against God alone.  Rather David is saying the root and foundation of all sin is against God Himself.  
   3. I confess my sin nature in Verse 5—We must come to God in confession not merely for what we do but for what we are.  As one commentator says “He lays on himself the blame of a tainted nature instead of that of a single fault.”  
   4. Inward and Outward in Verse 6—God desires inward purity.  In Psalm 51, the sinner has 2 needs: pardon for sin and purity of heart.
3. A Cleansing from Sin in Verses 7-9—The emphasis on “3” continues with David asking God to 3 things which were first mentioned in Verses 1-2:
   1. “Cleanse me with hyssop” in Verse 7
   2. “Wash Me” in Verse 7
   3. “Blot out all my iniquities” in Verse 9
      1. Application— “Blot out” refers to removing writing from a book— “There are certain ancient Bible manuscripts… They are pieces of papyrus (or some other ancient book material) that at one time contained a different text. But because this text was no longer needed and the material on which it was written was expensive, someone rubbed out the old writing, turned the sheet sideways, and wrote new words. This is what David wanted and what we all desperately need. The books of our lives have been written upon with many sins, and these stand as a terrible indictment against us. Unless something is done, they are going to be read out against us at the last day. But God can and will do something, if we ask him. God will rub out the ancient writing, turn the pages sideways, and write over the newly prepared surface the message of his everlasting compassion through the work of Jesus Christ”