April 17 - Reading 15: Psalms 50-52

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

Psalm 51 was written after the prophet Nathan confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba. Not only did David commit adultery, but then he committed murder to cover up his adultery. How could God forgive someone guilty of such grievous sins?

Decades before, God had rejected Saul as king. Why? Because Saul had not waited for Samuel before Saul made a sacrifice to the Lord. It seems like such a small thing to us, but it caused God to take away Saul’s kingdom and give it to “a man after His own heart” — the humble shepherd David (1 Samuel 13:14).

Did God not know that David would commit adultery, as well as a cover-up murder, during his reign as king? Of course, He did. So why did God reject Saul for such a little thing, but forgive David for such grave sins? That doesn’t make sense to us. Why? Because we like to rank sins, judging some sins as worse than others.

Thankfully, God doesn’t judge us by our sins. God says “man looks at the outward appearance” but He “looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The difference between Saul and David was the condition of their heart. After acknowledging his sin, David had “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17).

We can rejoice that, no matter how grievous, NO sin is unforgivable if we come to Him in repentance. Then He lovingly says our sins are forgiven; so “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Then He can restore to us a spirit that is determined to be steadfast in living a life pleasing to Him (Psalm 51:10).

May these truths encourage us as we read these Psalms and fervently intercede on behalf of all those blinded by the deceptions of the enemy. May the Lord break our hearts for the lost and give His light “to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79).