Category: Psalm 51

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).

Lady Macbeth knew.

Most of us can recall little of our high school Shakespeare, but we remember the murderous queen who walked and talked in her sleep.  Night after night she got out of bed, still asleep, and tried to scrub the blood of her crimes from her hands. There was nothing visible on her skin, but she knew the blood—the sin—was there.

“Out, out, damn spot!” she cried, but she could not make herself clean.  When the doctor saw her somnambulistic scrubbing, he commented that she did not need a doctor—she needed the Divine. This man knew his stuff—most doctors in that time period would have prescribed leeches.

Bad news—no one can cleanse your heart except God himself.  Few would be willing, and none would be able.

Good news—God is more than willing, and he is more than able. Whiter than snow, Baby. Whiter than snow.

Put down the Boraxo, Beloved.  Lift your heart to Him.

Happy Monday

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5).

Well, there’s a comforting thought.

As if this week wasn’t  hard enough,  I‘ve gotta get hit with the concept that I’ve been sinful for as long as I’ve been me.

Still…there it is.

It’s not like sin is just a one-time, or even sometime, thing.  David can’t say, “Oops, I slipped.  Apart from this episode, I’ve pretty much been perfection.”  Even David—giant killing, Psalm writing, man-after-God’s-own-heart David—knows that sin seems to be woven into the very fabric of his nature.  He doesn’t stand a chance of standing on his own. It’s like fighting cancer with cough drops.

Poor David.

Poor me.

Poor us.

And yet God, because of who he is, loved us anyway.

And so God, because he loved us, didn’t want us to die in sin, as we were born in sin.

And then God, because he didn’t want us to die, died in our place.

And now God, because he died for us, raises us to life in him.

And this God, who has raised you to life, calls you Beloved.

I guess it’s not such a bad week, after all.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me (Psalm 51:3).

There are only two people in all of Everything you can’t hide your sin from.

As it happens, they are the only two people who matter.

Hmm…that may be more than enough to chew on for one day.

So chew, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1-2).

There are two kinds of people in this world:

those who need forgiveness, and…

oh, wait—I guess there’s only one kind of people in this world.

Look, your sin may not be on the epic scale of King David’s—adultery, abuse of power, conspiracy to commit murder—but it’s still sin.

And you still need forgiveness.

And you still don’t deserve it.

David realized this.  He claimed no special privileges as God’s anointed.  He made no appeal based on his previous devotion. He expected no “do-overs” because of the mighty deeds he had done in God’s name.

He asked for mercy, not because of who he was, but because of who God is.

Oh, but Michael, we have something David didn’t have.  We have the Cross.

Yes, we do, Beloved. And we don’t deserve that, either.  The Cross stands as the ultimate evidence of God’s selfless love and great compassion.

Look, I’m not saying you shouldn’t expect forgiveness.  If you belong to Christ, the grace purchased at the Cross is yours for the taking—every day, all the time.  But don’t demand it–not with your words, or with your actions, or with your attitude.

Receive it with joy, a gift from the One who knows you best and loves you anyway.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar (Psalm 51:18-19).

David concludes this very personal prayer with an appeal for his people.

I like that. It’s classy.

David asks God to bless his people, so that they might glorify Him.  Perhaps that’s a prayer we can join in today. Maybe we ask God that we take all the blessings he showers on us and use them to praise his name.

Beloved, consider all that you deserve, but have not received.

Consider all that you do not deserve, but have received.

It could be so different, couldn’t it?

Offer up a sacrifice of praise today. I suggest we skip the burnt offering–that might be problematic. Instead, praise him with your voice and your heart and your time and your obedience.

He is always listening.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Psalm 51:16-17).

He doesn’t want your stuff.

He doesn’t want your show.

He wants you.

Take that into your weekend, Beloved.

Happy Friday

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from blood guilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise (Psalm 51:13-15).

What, we got a little quid pro quo going on here?  Is David trying to make a deal with God, sort of you-help-me-out-here-and-I’ll-do-you-a-solid-down-the-line?

Yeah, no, I don’t think so.

David knows better than to bargain with God.  He has already thrown himself on God’s mercy and acknowledged that he can do nothing without God’s strength.

But David is making a promise.  He promises that he will give God full credit for restoring David.  He will help others to learn from his mistakes. David will spread the word of God’s righteousness at the top of his lungs, and he will do everything in his power to bring God glory.

Have you ever done that, Beloved?  Have you ever been so carried away by God’s goodness that you vowed to declare his praises to the world?

Um…this is a bit of an awkward question…but…did you follow through?

Follow through, Beloved.

Happy Thursday.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12).

Boy, that David.  It’s all gimme, gimme, gimme with him, isn’t it?

Forgive my sins!

Cleanse me with hyssop!

Create in me a pure heart!

Stay close to me!

Restore my joy!

Renew my spirit!

Yep, David asks and asks and asks…

And God gives and gives and gives.

Remember that, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday