CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART O LORD
Psalm 51
A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot made by his grandfather. He practiced trying to hit a tin can, but he could never hit it.
As he walked across the yard he saw Grandma’s pet duck. On an impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead.
The boy panicked and hid the dead duck under an out-building, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “The duck!” So Johnny did the dishes.
Later, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help me make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “Johnny wants to do it.” Again she whispered, “The duck.” Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck.
“I know, Johnny,” she said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. But I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.”
Tucked away in a small segment of Scripture we find this certain phrase, “…you may be sure that your sin will find you out. ” Why is it that we think we can hid sin?
The background of our text today is David’s sin as recorded in 2 Samuel 11-12. David could not get away with his multiple sins any more than Johnny could hide the duck. In real life, one sin committed that is not repented of usually leads to another sin and makes one a slave to sinning. That was the case with David. His slavery to sin ultimately crushed him when Nathan, the prophet told him the story of the little ewe lamb. Until that point, David did not have the moral stamina nor the courage to confess his sin.
At first, while he still was in denial of his sins, David flew into a rage and said that anyone who committed such sin should be executed. However, Nathan looked David square in the eye and said, “You are the man!”
David then was made aware of the fact that the Lord knew what he had done.
Though the Lord forgave David, He punished him. So extensive was the consequence of his sins, all his descendants were affected. How terrible, yet true, “The sword shall never depart from your house .”
Psalm 51 is the record of David's prayer, uttered after Nathan the prophet faced him concerning his adultery with Bathsheba. This is one of the most penitential psalms ever written. In it we see David praying for forgiveness. How did David deal with this terrible fall from grace? The heading to Psalm 51 reads,
"For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba."
This psalm provides some tremendous insights into David's spiritual recovery from a place of arrogance and callousness towards God's voice. It is the second most read chapter in the Psalter. Verses 1 and 2 read;
"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin."
David begins by calling out for mercy. Why?
Because he recognizes that God's revealed character is one of love and compassion. From the time of Moses, God has revealed himself as "the compassionate and gracious God," who forgives sin . David calls upon God based on his known merciful character and because he had walked in complete trust of God’s unfailing love. Every person that has ever felt the guilt of sin and the need for God's forgiveness can identify with this psalm .
His first words were "Have mercy" (h?anan) which means “be gracious, have pity” … a heartfelt response by someone who has something to give to one who has a need.
And then David acknowledges God’s "unfailing love" or "lovingkindness" or "steadfast love" translated as the common Hebrew noun h?esed, which includes the ideas love, faithfulness, good-heartedness and kindness . What other plea can a sinner make before a righteous God?
The third line of his contrition recognizes God’s "Compassion" which is the Hebrew noun rah?amîm, meaning "tender mercy, compassion, deep love ."
David knows he doesn't deserve forgiveness, so he calls on God's character of mercy to remove his sins. He asks for renewal, purity, and pardon. He begs God, “…blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” After supposedly hiding his sin for months, a convicted and contrite David now asks God to blot out the record of his sin and that his polluted heart and soul be cleansed.
Here, "Blot out" (mah?a) means "wipe out, or remove a stain ." And, "Wash away" (kabas) means "wash, be washed, perform the work of a fuller," that is "to make cloth clean and soft by treading, kneading and beating in cold water ."
The word, "Cleanse" (t?aher) means "be pure, be clean." The word is used of the purifying of silver, of moral purity as well ritual purity .
Verses 3 and 4 read, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.”
One can only imagine the turmoil, the sleepless nights and troubled days David endured as he continually tried to cover his sins. Because of his status as king no one would challenge him or accuse him of sin … but as he acknowledges, it was always before him.
Does this mean that David's sins against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah were meaningless, inconsequential? No, not at all. But David recognizes that the greatest sin of all is against the Lord, to whom he has professed his love. When he sins, he is exhibiting his rebellion in the very face of God. Yes, we can sin against people and need to make these sins right . But our sin is even more against our heavenly Father. It is that breach that must be healed at all costs.
David has painted his iniquity in Technicolor. Now he begins to contrast his own sinfulness with what God desires. He looks within. Sinfulness is not primarily in one's actions, but in one's heart.
So, in v. 6 he acknowledges, "Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place." It is this inner person who must be converted and cleansed and disciplined. Our actions, when we are not putting on an act for others, flow from this inner person, from our heart of hearts.
David’s prayer is for deep cleansing in v. 7, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." When a leper was healed of his leprosy, he would undergo a ritual of cleansing in which the plant hyssop was used . If God cleanses him, if God washes him, then he will be "whiter than snow."
David had been through a period of spiritual drought and now he longs for the joy that only the Lord can provide. In v. 8 and 12 he exclaims, "Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice." "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." All of the joy had gone out of David’s life, and only God could restore it. In this heartfelt prayer, David now longs for this joy in fellowship to be restored to him once more.
Have you lost the "joy" of your salvation? Have you become somewhat distant from God? Have you taken God for granted?
Or perhaps have you never really gotten to know him. God wants to restore the joy to you that is your birthright as a Christian.
David's sins had affected his whole person: his eyes, mind, ears and bones, heart and spirit, hands, and lips. Sin can be so pleasurable in the moment and yet so devastating on the body, mind and spirit. David knew this, so he asked for more than cleansing, as important as it was; he wanted his entire being to be restored so he could serve the Lord acceptably. He wanted the joy of the Lord within him and the face of the Lord smiling upon him. "Joy and gladness" is a Hebrew phrase meaning "deep joy. "
In vv. 9-12, David continues his plea; “Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Verse 10 is the central verse of the psalm and it expresses the heart of David's concern. A legalist would say that David was asking for too much.
After all, he had allowed lust to consume him; he had misused his power; he had covered up his sin by ordering the death of an innocent man. How can he now pray for a pure heart? Isn't it too late? No. Can we be pure again once we've been corrupted? Yes.
Hebrews 9:14 states, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Forgiveness lifts a heavy burden from the heart, and to be cleansed, to be restored to a state of purity must result in wonder and unspeakable joy.
And David now realizing what he had done and what God had done, did not want to be caught in that sin again so he offers a prayer of a different kind; Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
The verb for "create" (???????, bara?) indicates the bringing into existence of something that did not exist before, a new heart that has been transformed by the power and grace of God . The Hebrew word for pure refers to gold that is completely free from any impurity.
Now David prays against his great fear in v. 11:
"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."
These are the words of one who has walked with God but who knows that the relationship has been shattered. For almost a year, David's cover-up and unforgiven sin has been an impenetrable barrier between himself and God. Now he hopes, by God's grace, that the barrier be removed and that he may once again be brought into the fellowship of the Lord.
And we see that in v. 12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” There is no joy in sin, but how great is the joy that comes with forgiveness, cleansing, and reconciliation.
His transgressions have taught David a life-changing lesson. He will now use his deplorable experience to teach others. Notice vv. 13-17, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Often times those who have fallen the farthest and repented become the best teachers.
David compares true repentance to ritual sacrifice in v. 17, but he realizes:
"The sacrifices to God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
David's pride has been broken (shabar). His heart is broken and contrite . "Contrite" (daka), means "to crush," or, "to pound, beat." The verb is consistently used of one who is physically and emotionally crushed because of sin or the onslaught of an enemy.
Until our hearts break with sorrow for our sin, we are not quite ready for forgiveness. So often, we are sad at being caught or exposed, but not sad at hurting the God who loves us or injuring his reputation by our sins. We hurt ourselves, we hurt God and we hurt others.
The immediate consequence of this for David is recorded in 2 Samuel 12:14, where David was told, “But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
We live in a society that wants quick and easy fixes. And often times that applies to conversion because in many cases there seems to be a lack of true, deep repentance that comes from the inside rather from the outside.
The prophet Joel spoke to this when he said, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. ” Joel lists five qualities that describe God;
(1) He is gracious. The Hebrew word for "grace," from the root (?????, ?anan), means "to yearn for" and indicates mercy toward an intimate one. The LORD yearns for Israel like a mother yearns for her child.
(2) He is compassionate. The root ????? (ra?am) means "womb." The LORD feels toward Israel like most mothers do for their unborn children.
(3) He is slow to anger. A more literal rendering is that the LORD is "long of nose." Many emotions were associated with body parts ("stiff necked" for stubbornness, "high handedness" for intentional).
(4) He abounds in love. The Hebrew ????? (?esed) is difficult to translate into English. It means that the LORD is a God who intentionally, deliberately, and consistently seeks the best for his people.
(5) He relents from sending calamity. "Calamity" translates the Hebrew word ??? (ra?, "evil"), which can refer both to moral evil and a moral tragedy.
Here it refers to the locust plague and other coming destruction – a moral tragedy. The word for "relent" is ????? (na?am), which is a strong feeling of sorrow that can move to pity or to change. Here it refers to change .
Our God is a God who demands devotion, but He is also a God who forgives the truly penitent that seek Him with all their heart. Oh, that our sins would break our hearts!
Too often we have pictured the God of the OT as a harsh and exacting taskmaster, but Joel enumerates the loving qualities that we often miss.
Today, you may be like King David and desire that God create a new heart and because of His steadfast love wash and cleanse you of all transgressions. If we can assist you, please come as we sing a song of encouragement.
Resources used for this sermon:
Numbers 32:23 NIV
2 Samuel 12:10
Exodus 34:6
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, David’s Psalms of Repentance, Jesus Walk Bible Study Series
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
Matthew 5:23
Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – Wisdom and Poetry
The College Press NIV Commentary – Psalms Volume 1
Joel 2:13
The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Volume 1: Hosea-Micah
