“Who forgives all your sins…who redeems your life from the pit…” – Psalm 103:3-4 (AMP)
This Psalm of David beautifully combines the attributes of God, our heavenly Father. And who better to express these attributes than David himself, who experienced God’s forgiveness and redemption countless times and saw God’s power and love displayed in unimaginable ways?
David ascended to the throne of Israel following the death of Saul. He was anointed long before King Saul’s death, but he waited and served Saul faithfully. God saw his heart was pure and kept him safe even when Saul pursued, trying to kill him.
As time passed, David won wars and amassed land and assets for Israel. He, however, indulged himself and committed adultery, taking the wife of Uriah, a soldier who had gone to war, and then orchestrated his death (2 Samuel 11). God was angry with David and sent Nathan, the prophet, to warn him. David repented. We see in Psalm 51 David’s prayer of repentance. He took personal responsibility for what transpired that led to the woman’s pregnancy and the murder of her husband. David admitted his sin and sought cleansing and redemption (Psalm 51:1-4). He prayed for deliverance from the guilt of shedding innocent blood.
Asking and receiving forgiveness does not mean we are free from the consequences of our sinful actions. However, God looks at our hearts and deals with us accordingly (1 Samuel 16: 7). He sees the state of our hearts and knows how we feel about the sins we commit. David confessed, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it…My sacrifice…is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart You, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17 – NIV). This is the heart God requires when we have sinned and are seeking forgiveness: a heart that is humble, faithful, obedient, and penitent.
May we, like David, possess hearts that persistently seek to please God, doing His will and keeping His commandments. May we say with quiet confidence, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart” (Psalm 26:2 – NKJV).
Prayer
Cleanse my heart, O God, make it ever true. Make me more like You, more forgiving than to be forgiven, seeking more to help than to be helped, more to understand than to be understood. Let Your Word be a lamp to my feet, and even when I stumble, do not forsake me but restore unto me the joy of Your salvation. I ask this in no other name but the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Read: Psalm 33:4-5; Psalm 51:10-12
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 44:1-12; Luke 13:31-35; Luke 14:1-14; Deuteronomy 15; Deuteronomy 16:1-20
Amen. Thank you lord.