Build-up – Psalm 51:18

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“Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;”

(Psalms 51:18 ESV)

I nearly breezed through these last two verses in efforts to wrap up this series on Psalm 51, but I’m glad I didn’t.

Right after David says the good stuff is where I wanted to cut it off. He’s done praying for himself and giving us amazing insight into God’s desire and the prayer seems to be done with the “important” stuff. Man was I wrong.

As I thought more and more about this Psalm and David’s radical heart change, I think we begin to see a real transformation, in a practical way, of his desires and actions. David is finished with his lament over his sin and petitions for his people. The emphasis is no longer on himself but on the Lord’s desires for His people. That God’s good pleasure be found in who? David? Sure, but not just David. That God’s desires be found in Zion. David’s attention is turned to the focus of the Lord being pleased in Zion and not solely in him. His desire is that Zion not be tarnished by David’s sin and that God look upon Zion with a pleasing eye. Wow the impact sin has had on history! Entire groups of idolatry have birthed out of one man’s sin. If we would only see the ripple effect of our choices like this.  David recognizes the communal reality of the impact of his sin and starts thinking less of himself and more for others, and more importantly, God’s people

All I really can say is that David sets the example of how the “resurrection” from sin takes place. If you ever want an idea of what a real, radical, God-fearing heart transformation would look like, look no further than David’s psalm to give you direction and discernment. David’s change really defines the steps of heart transformation that initially needs to take place. This Psalm is a remarkable display of the internal elements of the spirits work in a mans heart to see sin and to repent of it. Psalm 51:18 is a turning point for which David really begins to look away from himself and to the Lord and think for others.

Sacrifice – Psalm 51:17

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“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

(Psalms 51:17 ESV)

I recently witnessed my nephew being disciplined and then walked through apologizing to his sister after he had attempted to crush her head. Let’s just say he sat on her head in a very aggressive way, the only way that 3 year olds do. His father quickly ushered him out of the room for one-on-one discipline. Though, I did not witness the conversation the Father had with his son. When they returned my nephew apologized and asked his older sister for forgiveness. In those moments I was transported back to my youthful years and recalled all the times I was directed to apologize and hug my sister after some quarrel. Now, parents and siblings aren’t really interested in the reluctant actions of saying were sorry as kids without genuine remorse are they? We hope for genuine remorse, but that doesn’t change our efforts to guide children in the way they should go. We all know and try to detect what is truly genuine and helping a child to freely apologize. With them understanding their wrong and it can be a big step for guiding a child in the way they should go and God molding their hearts. Now this isn’t about parenting and I’m not the one to be talking about it. Yet, this verse made me think of this relational aspect of life. It’s one thing to be a parent trying to understand the heart of your child. It’s an entirely different thing for God to understand the heart of man.

Because of God’s nature he clearly has an all knowing, all seeing presence in our lives. What does God delight in? He delights in truth, and ultimately that truth worked out in us by the submission to him through a contrite heart and humble spirit. The delight of the Lord is in the broken spirit and a contrite heart because it knows its rightful place when before a holy God. You know what this tells us about God? He has this remarkable ability to know our hearts and our deepest needs. Yes, a contrite is a deep need we all have. As in the preceding verse, David sees that God does not accept burnt offerings at face value in their ritual. God is far more personal than we like to give him credit and the reluctant and unwilling “apology” is much like our childhood attempts to say we are sorry, when we really are not.

Man, verse 16 and 17 pack a punch when we really meditate on the elemental aspects they point out in regards to our relationship with God and our sin. David knows that the true sacrifice that he must offer before God is a deeply contrite heart. May God humble us in the same way in order that he may find delight in our souls.

Delight – Psalm 51:16

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“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.”

(Psalms 51:16 ESV)

I love this verse because it sets up the next one with a question. I love it when the Psalmist asks questions because he almost always gives an answer. I’m not a very witty guy. I tend to be slow when it comes to humor and wit. So, sometimes when Jesus expresses a bit of wit in the way he deals with the disciples or Paul asks a rhetorical question. I tend to have to read it over and over again.

Still the Psalmist will answer this implied question seen in this verse. (what does God delight in?) Since God does not delight in sacrifice (of the animal nature)

In essence we can’t buy God favor with an earthly physical sacrifice alone. It does not buy God’s favor for us when we sacrifice before him with a heart that is not equally sacrificial. Our hearts are essentially the element of importance to God here. (see vs. 17 before tomorrow)

We might be diligent to do all of the “right” Christian things. I know I have been. Yet, all of those things are not what God truly delights in from us. We cannot buy the favor of God by shear presentation of sacrifices, we in the end have nothing to bring to God but our empty hands. Therefore our hearts must be humbled and we must have a transformed heart before his presence in order to endure into his presence without being consumed by his holiness. That is only possible through the penitent heart that we can be given through Jesus. By his blood through his sacrifice on the cross can we truly and rightly kneel before the throne of grace.

God does not delight in anything we attempt to do in order to earn his favor.

Declare – Psalm 51:15

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“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”

(Psalms 51:15 ESV)

An overspill from the previous verse, David reveals something remarkable about his desires. That the Lord would open his lips. Though we should praise God on our own volition when found in his presence. David seeks for the Lord to open his lips. It’s almost as if he is asking the Lord to provide words, or to see fit the vehicle of his mouth to carry the words of praise he should utter to the Lord.

It very well could be the loss of words that David is expressing here. Especially after his long petition to the Lord for restoration. It is in those moments that we can rely on the spirit to provide us with utterance that we can’t even understand. God is truly the giver of all things and enables us to declare of His goodness to us.

Deliver – Psalm 51:14

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“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.” (Psalms 51:14 ESV)

I want to share briefly from Calvin’s Commentaries. I read Calvin while I read this Psalm with several other commentaries and what he says struck me, I have found it to be very helpful. Below is a little taste of what Calvin writes.

“Deliver me from bloods. His recurring so often to petitions for pardon, proves how far David was from flattering himself with unfounded hopes, and what a severe struggle he sustained with inward terrors.”

John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries (Complete) (trans. John King; Accordance electronic ed. Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1847), n.p.

What strikes me the most about this Psalm is how often David petitions God for pardon. Calvin makes a point to show that about David in a rather peculiar, but more profound way that I had thought before by even saying that David wasn’t flattering himself with unfounded hopes. In other words, David wasn’t waking up in the morning looking at himself in the mirror and convincing himself that everything was okay. David is terrified by his sin and deeply troubled over it and doubt still remains of God’s provisional grace over his life.

I think it also shows how David’s desire to be free from guilt is far more rounded than we like to think. Bloodguilt could mean the more impending judgement demanded on David’s life. The blood penalty for he crimes is one way to consider the use of the “bloodguilt” Yet, this term is more often understood to be related to the same terminology found in Genesis 4:11 when Abel’s blood cried out from the ground. Denoting the guilt that follows murder. I think either interpretation is far game and emphasizes the guilt and shame of the actions of David and their weight upon his conscience.

In David’s case, like many others after him, the overflow of being delivered from impending judgement and the result of being truly humbled is the bursting forth of praise over God’s righteousness.

When we understand that salvation from judgment is only because of the character of the judge, and not because we deserve it, then we are truly free because we are in right relationship with the judge.

Teach – Psalm 51:13

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“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

(Psalms 51:13 ESV)

I really think the best kinds of teachers we have are the teachers that have joy in their subject. The teachers that really love what they do love for what they do out weighs their distain for the education system and bureaucracy that so often ties them down. In fact the teachers that tend to have the most joy and love for their subject matter tend to fight for its value. They are a high contrast to the teachers that will teach a subject only because their is a pay cheque at the end of the month. I’m not saying that there isn’t anything wrong with working to make ends meet. Yet, teaching is different isn’t it? To call out a teacher that has turned their role into just another job is almost like calling a mom a bad mother. It cuts deep sometimes and teachers no matter if they are in the wrong or not, take deep offense.

I had a teacher once who I truly knew loved what he did and often times had to fight for his subject matter with great perseverance. He was a band teacher. He loved his students and he loved his subject. Though his methods often times seemed to be like madness. We knew he loved his job and loved music. His students were the best to ask of his relentless demand of excellence. They understood his love for music so much that it often times inspired them to love it just as much even though the standards he demanded seemed impossible. Someone’s love for something and the joy they show that it brings them is infectious. Even if they are a bit rough around the edges. This was a band teacher and I know very few band teachers that don’t love music and the joy it brings them to educate others about it. In fact he made the program better and better every year and I know it was because of his love for music. He was often accused of being more interested in himself, but the students new better. The students understood that he demanded excellence and the funny thing is they arose to the occasion time and time again. Why? He had passion within his bones for his subject. It brought him great joy. I really do believe he would get tickled to see a student discover that joy for themselves and radically find new purpose. Its not a tangible thing, but when someone changes their behavior in order to be a better musician, wow. Let’s admit, music does that. Its a subject that is eager to be shared. Its always performed and for others to enjoy it demands excellence by the musician. Excellence that comes from a little bit of talent and a lot of relentless rehearsal.

So, why do I share about my band teacher and music? This passage made me think a little bit about the idea of what happens when we find something that brings us incredible joy. We relentlessly pursue to share it. My band teacher wasn’t always a “joyful” person. He was flawed, but music was his life now and he shared it. It defined him. For some, it may start out as something that brings us joy and sadly we might lose that “spark.” Yet, even still its a force that can take over ones life when they find joy by the measure of something greater than themselves. I think music does this for a lot people.

That’s why I think salvation brings a much deeper joy (than music) that is everlasting because it and its giver is far greater than ourselves. It changes everything about us, because of that, it is impossible to keep to oneself. It defines you.

This is what David is expressing. This isn’t a life a servitude in order to work for his salvation. David is expressing the overflow of his joy by saying he will teach others the ways of the master. When someone gives joy to our lives, and here we are talking eternal joy, then it cannot be contained. Especially the measure and means of that joy. In this case, it is coming from an eternally benevolent God. It simply cannot be contained.  The tricky part is the development of faith and how foundational it to our joy. It takes faith to take the leap into the arms of God, but thankfully he provides us with the faith that we need to trust. Sharing something you find great joy in is the nature of joy. Ask yourself, is it really joy in something if you don’t share it? We tend to think it to be odd if someone keeps something to themselves if they say it brings them true joy. What’s even more amazing is that when we see the joy that someone has found in something our next question is what about it, what is it? David wants to lead others to that source because of such a salvation that he has found. Overwhelming joy.

Restore – Psalm 51:12

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“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

(Psalms 51:12 ESV)

Of course David isn’t talking about any joy. He’s talking about the joy that comes after salvation. The joy that overwhelms us when we step from dead to life.

David is all messed up. The joy that you can only get after the assurance of salvation overwhelms you is gone in his life and he requests its restoration. For nearly a year, I had lost all joy. I was angry and bitter and not even the idea of salvation would stir my soul. Bitterness and anger had taken root and the spirit which is so willingly and freely given was obscured by my unwillingness to confess and humble myself before the Lord. Joy after salvation is sustaining and true. There is no better joy that the joy that fills us when the chains of sin have been broken and we are set free. The problem is, is that we for some reason try to put the chains back on. Paul pointed this out to us as insanity. Why would we do such a thing. What David is seeking after is restoration that is given and sustained through a freely flowing spirit. The second part of this Psalm is hard to understand and to be honest I had to read up a little on what others say about this psalm to understand this a part. I think David is characterizing the spirit in contrast to what he has experienced in bondage to sin. The spirit is so freely given and overflows with support when we have it. David desires to be upheld in joy and life again. Life as apposed to the death he has chosen in his sin. Its a bit of an odd phrase to say the least. Yet, we can walk away from the passage seeing that David is seeking after the joy that God alone can provide by His salvation.

After months of bitterness, anger and frustration with circumstances. I honestly came to a turning point that only the spirit, which so freely given, unveiled my eyes. I saw how hard my heart was and the fact that I really did not have to be so hardened by  sin any more. I was free. Anger and Bitterness got me no where. In fact, what was more important in my relationship with Christ was all together lost for nothing. I had forgotten really why I was angry and just let new thoughts about my circumstances fuel my anger. The root of the sin was a distrust in Jesus. This is incredibly opposite to the “joy of salvation” because this requires and overwhelming trust in his providences. I had to seek restoration in this manner and the spirit has been gracious to uphold me all the more and freedom abounds as the joy of salvation resonates daily.

CastMeNot

“Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”

(Psalms 51:11 ESV)

I’m a pretty simple minded man and honestly it takes a lot for me to see beyond what is sitting right in front of me. So when I read this Psalm I honestly saw another plea for God to show mercy. David begging God not to draw himself away from him. Yes, that is what is happening here, but there are some deeper questions that are answered as well, or at least I think they get answered.

1. Was David left without any inkling of God’s presence when he was sinning? Well, no, but it was certainly obscured to some degree by his sin.

2. Is it possible then to “lose” ones salvation when we sin? Clearly this is not the case for David because God’s promises to David have been proven once more. Peter solidifies this idea for believers by pointing out that we have been saved through imperishable seed, in 1 Peter 1:23. So, no we cannot lose our salvation either.

3. Is the presence of the Holy Spirit in a godly mans life important? Absolutely it is! David proves it and shows us as an example of how godly men should be begging the Lord to remain present in their lives in the face of repentance.

This verse got me to thinking even more about the simple concept of the spirit in my life. How many “modern” Christian men really understand the idea that the spirit is present in our lives when we believe in Jesus. Sure, we might “believe” it, but do we understand the importance of its presence much like David did? How much more should we understand it than David did, being found in Jesus? I honestly know that I have obscured the influence of the spirit in my life because of sin, but do I now in a repentant heart understand how I should be longing for its influence to speak into my troubled soul?

It’s a supplication I struggle with because frankly, I was raised as a Christian with little understanding of what the presence of the spirit means and how to see its presence at work. Yet, it seems to me that God’s presence and favor is wrapped up in David’s concern here. David sought for God to not remove his presence because he understood the severity of his sin and the incredible blessing of God’s presence in his life. Man, do I need to be praying this every day.

Create – Psalm 51:10

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“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

(Psalms 51:10 ESV)

Can you just imagine David saying this at this point in time? I can only imagine the depth of this moment as I reflect on the weight of his sin he conveys in the previous verses. The longing and pursuit of change in this psalm is simply overwhelming, especially if you digest this psalm one verse each day. This verse is a fighter verse for me. I don’t pray this verse enough but reading it and meditating on it has put it back into the forefront of my mind.

What I like about this verse is that David is asking for God to “create” a clean heart. The word used here is the same word used for creating something out of nothing. So, again, the radical transformation that David is seeking after is magnified all the more. He is at the lowest of low and frankly knows that God will have to mold and refashion the depths of his heart.

I need an attitude change more times than not. As I evaluate my thought life, my “spirit” is too often not godly. The psalms often show us that we can preach to our soul, but here we are also taught to request a right spirit from God. We are to seek for him to do something in us that we cannot do for ourselves. What is implied in the request is submitting to the fact that our spirit is not right and needs to be right. This is no simple apology, but confession. The difference is repentance and the pursuit for absolution.

I’m so troubled by the deception that I have fallen prey to time and time again that certain thoughts are okay to have. See, it isn’t necessarily sinful if we have something outrageous pop into our heads. It’s what we do with the thought that can become sinful. For example anxious thoughts. Thoughts only produce anxiety when the are explored for their outcomes that are outside of our control and understanding. We become anxious for a number of reasons, but the outcome of repeating thoughts in our minds that cause such anxiety is rooted in a distrust in what God is going to do for our circumstances. What we do with our thoughts is sin, not necessarily the thought itself. Now, I say “not necessarily” because thought life is a dangerous thing and we must be careful to guard our thought life, so the intake of thoughts from an outside source could very well be sinful. Opening ourselves up to things willingly and “entertaining evil” is sinful as exemplified in scripture.

We must be diligent to not let our spirit and heart fester and linger on the things of this world, but to set our hearts and minds on the things from above. Jesus makes a clear path for us to follow and can create in us a new clean heart.

Blot – Psalm 51:9

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“Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.”

(Psalms 51:9 ESV)

Now I’m not entirely sure that I caught every single time, as I counted just now, but this is at least the 9th or 10th time that David has requested God to act “on Him.” To do something to him. For God to change his relationship to his sin. Every single time David asks God to act, it is in relationship to his sin. David doesn’t ask God for anything else other than an change throughout this opening section of this Psalm. “Hide your face from my sins” is yet another way for which David is requesting for Mercy. It’s also a cue to the next verse, but points back to the many times God’s eyes are not “hidden” to sin. (Jer 16:17)

I really see a relational aspect that David is conveying to the Lord in this verse. As he appeals to the Lords Character and being. God sees everything. Yet, he is pleading that God, according to his loving kindness does not seek out judgement upon him. David is still aware of the due penalty of his sin. He knows and still it lingers in how he is appealing to God’s action in his heart.

I think as a Christian we are so quick to jump to grace, and yes, grace is an EXTREMELY important element to trusting God and being renewed, but as I have been meditating on this psalm, I have thought about how easily deceptive sin is and how easily we are deceived by our own hearts, our own minds, our own surroundings and influences. I think of how often I try to move forward from my sin when I really haven’t properly found myself in right relationship to my sin and humble before God. I have been all too often quick to think I’m covered in grace but have never truly worked out my relationship to sin and to God and I find myself deceiving myself into thinking that everything is all good and yet sinning all the more. I think mercy of God helps us truly see our sin because it deals with understanding the impact of sin on our relationship with God understanding that God would be just to wipe us from the face of the planet. This is a first step, that is often accompanied by grace, because grace is what we live in when we as believers are pursing transformation by the spirit and yet mess up in our years of sanctification.

I think David is in this Psalm is giving us an idea of what God had to do in and through his heart in order for the relationship to be restored. It was by God’s grace that David wasn’t wiped off the face of the planet. God does not owe him or us even that. Yet, according to his loving kindness he is so eager to give us abundantly more than we can imagine. David knew that, yet was so easily deceived.

Meditating on this Psalm, I find how little I really understand the deep impact of my sin. Yet, even better I find how little I understand the RADICAL transformation and rescue that is so freely given through JESUS! He is making all things new and as David longed for radical redemption. Jesus is the fulfillment of what David longed to see. For sin to be washed clean and to be blotted out.