Friend, let us find joy in God’s greatness, regardless of the state of the world or personal circumstances. We’re looking into Psalm 51 today, featuring King David’s prayer for forgiveness after committing adultery with Bathsheba and arranging her husband’s death. God is always ready to forgive. Lean on God’s strength in times of weakness and seek joy in your salvation. He gave His life freely FOR YOU to be a benefactor of His perfect & precious grace.
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Transcription:
So you know why we do joy bombs and the Psalms every Friday on the Bible for Busy People? By the way, I’m Erica, your host, glad you’re here. It’s because the Bible tells us in Nehemiah 8:10 that the joy of the Lord is our strength. So we are going to draw from that well, today, just like we do every Friday. We can rejoice, not because we look around at the world and everything looks great, not because everything’s going great in your world or my world, but because God is great. Because he’s still sitting on the throne and you and I can rejoice because this is not the end of the story. What’s happening in the world or what’s happening in your life. No. God has the final say. He is writing your story and you can trust the author of your life and of this whole world. Okay, are you ready? We’re going to be diving into Psalm 51 today and we are going to hear a very passionate, contrite, heartfelt prayer from King David, after a time in his life where he severely missed the mark.
Just last time we were talking about how David was a man after God’s own heart. What happened? Well, David was also human and he messed up like you and I mess up. This was a big one. He basically saw a woman who he found very attractive and he slept with her, and he wanted her as one of his wives. And so he sent her husband Uriah to the front line of a battle to make sure that he was killed, so that he could take Bathsheba as his wife. Now, there is a lot more to the story. I’m giving you the cliff notes there, but I know, oh, it hurts to even hear that. But I wanted you to understand the context of where we’re coming from today in Psalm 51. We’re going to pray with David and then we’re going to praise with David. We’re going to look at another time in his life when he dedicated the temple and he just gave this beautiful praise that will just evoke joy in your life. It paints a beautiful picture, but first Psalm 51.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Man, I just want to read that again because maybe it’s something you need to pray personally.
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
With all my heart I believe God answers that prayer. If you pray it right now, he will hear you. He will answer that. You don’t have to be afraid. He already knows the thing that may be standing between you and Him right now, and blocking your friendship, that relationship, that communication that you have with the living God. You can tell him right now, create me a clean heart. I’m sorry, God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. He’ll do it. He’s done it for me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. 16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
I hope that you’re just going, This is good news, because either you have messed up royally in your life like I have, or you will someday, just because you’re human. And the good news is that we can come to God, we can come to him with a broken and repentant heart, and he won’t reject us. He will forgive us. We have to say we’re sorry. And I love David because he’s like, Lord, make me willing to obey you. Make me willing to do the right thing. God understands. We talked about this, I think it might’ve been last week. He remembers that we are dust, that we are weak, but he is strong. The Bible says when we are weak, he is strong. So, hold on to him. The joy of the Lord is your strength. You can lean into him and ask him to restore to you the joy of your salvation like David did. I want to move on to David’s praise now, in Psalm 30. This is after he dedicated the temple. I think you’re going to love this. It’s beautiful.
I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, 9 “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.”
So this is David saying, I cried out to the Lord and I begged him. Right? And now verse 11.
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
Can’t you see like a black dress transforming into a beautiful brightly colored dress?
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
David is a thankful man. He’s a forgiven man. Nothing makes you more thankful than when you receive forgiveness from God. He doesn’t hold it against you. He forgives completely when you ask. He is love, and that’s why he gives it so readily. Oh, until next time, please know you are so loved.
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