The title says “A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.” As we might expect, it is a plea for forgiveness and cleansing.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 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. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (v1-4,7,10-13,15-17)
A parallel passage to this Psalm came to mind: ” ‘Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.’ [switches perspectives from the people speaking to God’s reply] ‘Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.’ ” (Hos 6:1,3,4b-6)
Both the prophet Hosea and David realize that conviction for our sin comes from God, since it is against Him that we have sinned. Both passages also acknowledge that God doesn’t desire sin offerings, He wants our brokenness, self-sacrifice, allegiance and undying love. He wants us as we are, but fully submitted to Him. Both passages are also clear that any healing and restoration of our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being will only come from God, the sole provider of our comfort. To seek comfort and healing elsewhere is a poor/insufficient substitute.
But fear not, for there is hope: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Rom 5:6-11)
Even in our darkest times of sin and God’s conviction, we can rest assured of our salvation through Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection, which was given to us while we were still sinners. Our mourning for our sinfulness can now become joy in God, because Christ’s blood has not only paid for our sin, it has reconciled us with God, so we can be healed of guilt and shame in His presence.
One more thought – as I was studying this Psalm, I came across this quote: “This great song, pulsating with the agony of a sin-stricken soul, helps us to understand the stupendous wonder of the everlasting mercy of our God.” (G. Campbell Morgan) God’s everlasting mercy came in the form of God’s Son, who took the punishment of the world.
Father God, have mercy on us, for we have been sinners and enemies of Your kingdom. We have grieved Your heart, rebelling against You in our words and actions. We have committed adultery with false gods from birth, for we were born into sin. Praise be to You that Your everlasting and abundant mercy came in the form of Your Son, one who would save us from ourselves. Thank you so much for putting sin to death on a cross, and resurrecting us into new life through Jesus. We kneel before You a broken people, full of shame and guilt. Wash our hearts Father, cleanse us to be white as snow, pure in our innermost beings, blotting out all unrighteousness. Please renew steadfast spirits within us and restore the joy of our salvation, in the name of the Most High God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
~ Conqueror in Training