Our Honesty Fuels His Ability
So Im going to share Psalm 51 here today because this Psalm has been speaking out very powerfully to me recently.
Three things to know before you read the Psalm.
1. This is a Psalm of David when the prophet Nathan confronted David of his sins. David slept with Bathsheba and murdered her husband in order that word will now get out of his sins. He decided to sweep these sins under the rug and continue to serve as king and even act as a priest on behalf of his people. David wrote this Psalm once he felt the weight of his isns.
2. The Psalm can best be broken up into three parts: David Admits his Sins, Asks for Forgiveness, and walks away Rejoicing. David is COMPLETELY honest and real with the Lord about what he has done and he relies on THE LORDS FORGIVENESS to save him. He has full trust in the Lordâs ability, to the point where he felt completely free of his sins and his control.
3. Davidâs COMPLETE trust in Godâs abilities to forgive... and not his ability to do good. There is nothing about David doing good in this passage. David doesnât wait till heâs done some good deeds before he comes before the Lord... no, he comes to the LORD in all his filth and all his hurts... and he APPEALS and reminds himself of Godâs goodness. Of Godâs desire for righteousness, and of Godâs love for us. God loves us more than we could love him. God wants us to be right with Him WAY MORE than we do. God loves me more. Look at what he did with Christ. HE is the one who loves us and wants us more. He is the one that wants us to be restored! (1 John 4:19)
Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
  according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
  blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
  and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
  and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
  and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
  and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
  and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
  and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
  wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
  let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
  and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
  and renew a right[b] spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
  and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
  and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
  and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
  O God of my salvation,
  and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
  and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
  you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
  a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
  build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
  in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
  then bulls will be offered on your altar.
