King David committed perhaps one of the greatest sins in the Bible. Not only did he commit adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers Uriah, but he then arranged to have Uriah killed to cover up his sin. For a while David did not repent but God in his mercy sent Nathan the prophet to confront and condemn David to his face, to wake David up, I believe, so David could see the great horror of his sin and repent in return.
As a result of this confrontation by Nathan, David pens his great psalm of repentance, Psalm 51. This psalm displays David’s deep sorrow as he confesses and repents of his deep sin against God. David must have understood that his sins of adultery and murder were both punishable by death and that no animal sacrifice could save him from his sin. Yet because of God’s great mercy and David’s great repentance, God in His sovereignty chose to forgive David and let him live.
Perhaps the heart of Psalm 51 and the reason for God’s willingness to forgive David can be seen in verses 16 and 17: “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.” What God really wanted from David, and from all of us when we sin, is our whole broken and contrite heart. I encourage you to read Psalm 51 and see how King David pours out his heart to God in true repentance, not only his sin against Bathsheba, but for his sins in general. There is real power in a broken and contrite heart because it shows a deep awareness, not only of our sins, but then goes the real distance through true contrition.
David was truly humbled and broken to the core by his great sin and understood that the only thing he could offer up to God for his sin was a broken and contrite heart. And thankfully God in his mercy, not only accepted David’s act of contrition, but allowed him to stay as king. David made no excuses and realized that the only thing he could do was to cast himself on the mercy of God.
As one reads Psalm 51 it becomes clear that David realized that unless God granted him forgiveness he stood to lose, not only the joy of the Lord, but God’s abiding presence through His Spirit. As a result, in addition to David’s offer of true repentance he asks God for a new heart so he can enjoy the presence of God and obey God’s laws. In return David promises that he will never cease to praise God and tell sinners about the salvation the Lord offers through the repentance from sin. For we read: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.” (Psalm 51:10-15).
A truly broken and contrite heart is the key to restoration from sin. While God may not always restore everything to what it was before your sin, He will restore your relationship with Him and the lost joy that sin imparts. For example, if you rob a bank you may have to serve prison time, but God’s forgiveness through true repentance will allow you to stay in communion and fellowship with God while you serve your sentence.
So, the next time you sin, like King David, come to God with a repentant broken and contrite heart and watch how God can restore you to the joy of the Lord!