Psalm 51:10 Nathan exposed David’s sin with Bathsheba. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender, mercy and loving kindness blot out my transgressions…”. David, fully aware of his sin, the evil he’d done, desires to be washed thoroughly from his iniquity and guilt, to be cleansed and made pure before God. He recognizes God’s desire for truth, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.” David’s sins were great before God, adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband murdered to cover up his sin. The child she bore, David’s child, would be taken from them in judgment for his sin…a consequence he would carry for the rest of his life. David’s heart was heavy, knowing firsthand how God ‘feels’ about sin and righteousness. His heart, weighed down in the presence of sin, knew nothing else but the desperate need for God’s forgiveness. He cried out for restoration, for the joy of God’s salvation, he asked not to be cast from God’s presence, and for God not to take away His Holy Spirit from him. David knew the cost of sin… Personally. Are we close enough to God to… not just feel but be desperate for His presence? Do we know in our spirit the full weight of sin, no matter how big or how small? Do we hold anything back… Are we wholeheartedly repentant? James tells us saying ‘No’ to the temptation to sin stops the fade into disobedience…do we catch ourselves before we sin or do we wait for the conviction afterwards? Lord, break our heart with what breaks Yours. Remind us how You’ve set us apart for Your glory, remind us of the strength in Love and Humility. Create in us a clean heart, renew a right, steadfast spirit with us.
