Thankful: Praising God Through the PsalmsНамуна

Psalm 51 - Penitential

Literary Context

In contrast with the lament psalms (in which the psalmist’s enemies are other people), in the penitential psalms the enemy is inside the evil in one’s own heart. In these psalms the psalmist confesses his guilt before God, aware that God’s judgment is just and inescapable. At the same time, he is confident in God’s forgiveness and knows that he will be graciously accepted back into God’s presence once he has confessed his sin.

Reflection

David’s sin with Bathsheba is the historical situation that gave rise to Psalm 51. This psalm was written some time after God had sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin. The full story can be found in 2 Samuel 11-12.

When we look closely at the life of David, it can be difficult to understand why God called him “a man after my own heart” (see 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). There are many stories in which David is horrible and selfish. And many times, innocent people are included in experiencing the consequences for his personal sin.

Is he really a role model for us? A flesh-and-bones example of what a “person of God” looks like?

Psalm 51 demonstrates why this is indeed the case. And it may not be for the reason you think.

To be described as a person after God’s own heart does not mean that person is perfect. It also does not mean this person only commits “less horrible” sins (whatever those might be). David proves both of these points.

Instead, it means that person knows that their lives are wholly dependent on God’s mercy (Psalm 51:1, 5). Even at conception, they needed him.

It means that person knows that sin—all sin!—is first and foremost the human heart in rebellion against the God to whom everything is owed (Psalm 51:4).

But also…it means that person knows that cleansing from sin is possible, not by anything that they can do on their own to “fix it” but by God’s own mighty hand. What’s more, they are confident that God takes pleasure in receiving their broken confessions and restoring them to himself (Psalm 51:7, 9-10, 16-17).

To know these things is to know God intimately. Such a one is indeed a person after God’s own heart.

Response

Do you have any unconfessed sin in your life? What is preventing you from confessing this sin to God and to another believer?

Are you as confident as David that God is both willing and able to forgive you? Why or why not?

For further reading:

• Psalm 32
• Psalm 38
• Psalm 130