Day 11 Summer Psalms 51 to 55

The first of today's readings, Psalm 51, opens with a full blown confession! Some pretty wicked deeds are at the root of this Psalm. David was at the lowest point of his whole life, totally and completely broken with the anguish of his sins. Not only did David commit adultery with the wife of one of his respected soldiers, Uriah, but he was also responsible for his death. In verses 1-4 is David's prayer confessing his sins and begging for God's forgiveness, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my sins, they are ever before me." 

David needs more than just forgiveness to restore his heart, he begs God, "... wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." He continues to plead with God for a full restoration in verse 10, one of my favorite Biblical passages, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." This passage says so much for all of us. No matter how utterly despicable and miserable our sins, God can and will restore our hearts to their original state of purity! This is huge! What a deal! All we have to do is confess with a sincere and contrite heart, and we shall be forgiven. Murder, adultery, theft, incest, corruption, etc.; any sin will be forgiven to those who believe and repent! Each and every one of our hearts can be as clean and pure as the day we were born!

Part of confession and the forgiveness process, is a soulful promise to avoid any future sin. David is willing to do anything for God in order to make up for his sins. He promises, "I will  teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. Deliver me, O God, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance!" This is the glory of forgiveness. The sinner is so relieved, so renewed, and so refreshed, he wants to share his spirit with the world. David wants to shout from the mountain tops of God's forgiving power! Yes, I know this joy. I love confession for this very reason. Once forgiven, all is well. I'm filled and surrounded with an immediate peace.

The most difficult experiences in our lives are what make us. In Psalm 52, David writes about finding strength in the darkest of times. After another escape from death, David prays, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, I trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever." He understands the profound need for God in his life, and in Psalm 53, he is critical of men who do not believe, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" I'm just like David. When I think of how dependent I am on God to pull me through each and every hard time in my life, I often wonder how those people who do not believe ever overcome life's tribulations. In Psalm 54:4, David adds, "Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life." He's right and how perfectly phrased; God is the upholder of my life as well. There have been so many times when I have been in complete despair, and it has always, always, always been God who has restored me.

I'll end with a very fitting verse from Psalm 55 which connects so wonderfully to the message of today's previous readings. Verse 22 says it all: "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you."