Today, as Christians, we are celebrating Easter. What is Easter? Easter is the particular day of the year that is set aside to remember and commemorate the day that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. As such, it cannot be separated from the death of Christ. This holiday is set aside to remember the fact that Jesus Christ died and was buried and then, three days later, rose from the dead. This happened almost 2,000 years ago, and it is the very reality that we as Christians celebrate on this holiday.
But we must be careful to keep in mind that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ were not random, meaningless events. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ did not occur in a vacuum in which the act had no significance or purpose. The Scriptures are clear that these things occurred for a particular reason. The question is: what is that reason? Why did Jesus have to die, be buried and be raised from the dead? One main answer to that question is found in one small, simple word: sin. Paul writes, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). He makes the same point in Romans as he says that Jesus our Lord “was delivered up for our trespasses (sins) and raised for our justification (our freedom from the condemnation of sin)” (Rom. 4:25). Here is a point we must never forget: Easter exists to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And Jesus offered himself up as a sacrifice because of sin. We cannot properly understand Easter without a proper understanding of sin. We cannot properly understand the sacrifice of Christ without a proper understanding of sin. And we cannot understand the incredible glory of our salvation in Christ without a proper understanding of sin.
Our text this morning is Psalm 51. If you are familiar with this psalm at all, you know that it deals with the issue of sin – specifically, the sin of David. It is a psalm in which David is wrestling with the issue of his own sin and crying out to the Lord for forgiveness. As such, it is a perfect text for thinking about the reality of sin as well as God’s relation to sin. In short, it is a perfect text to help us understand even better the reason why we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Before we look at the psalm itself, we must understand its historical context. The story is probably familiar to most of us, but it bears retelling nonetheless to jog our memories. David was the greatest king that Israel ever had – he was a king who was both powerful and faithful to God. That said, he was not perfect. And 2 Samuel 11-12 tells us in great detail of the greatest sin that David ever committed. It happened at a time when David’s army was away fighting the Ammonites. David had not gone with them; he remained back in Jerusalem. One afternoon, as David was walking on the roof of his house, he looked down and saw a woman bathing. He desired to have her and eventually had her brought to his palace where he had sex with her – resulting in her becoming pregnant. As a result, David tried to entice the woman’s husband, Urriah, to come back from the war and spend time with his wife so that David’s sin might be covered up. When this plan fails, David has his commander send Urriah to the very front of the battle so that he will die. The plan works. Urriah is killed and David takes Urriah’s widow as his own wife. At this point, it seems like David has gotten away with it, but Samuel writes, “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. And the Lord sent [the prophet] Nathan to David” (2 Sam. 11:27b-12:1a). Nathan proceeds – in the form of a story – to confront David with his sin, rebuking him and serving as the mouthpiece for God’s judgment of David’s sin.
In the 2 Samuel account, we are not told of David’s response. But Psalm 51 – as its title makes clear – is the response of David after he was confronted by the prophet, Nathan. In this psalm, we see – in the example of King David – the way that we should respond to sin. And – as we will see – we are pointed forward to the glorious and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let us walk through the psalm together.
The first two verses serve as a thesis for the rest of the psalm. That is, these verses introduce us to many of the themes that we are going to talk about later in the psalm. David writes, “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!” (51:1-2). Just in these first two verses, we see some weighty themes that will permeate the rest of the psalm. We see that David is readily acknowledging his own sin. We see that he is pleading for God’s mercy. And we see that he recognizes that God must cleanse him. It is these themes that drive the rest of this psalm. We see David begin by acknowledging his sin and his sinfulness. Then we see him cast himself upon the mercy of God for forgiveness. And he closes by declaring that he will faithfully serve the Lord if he is granted deliverance.
The first thing we see David doing is acknowledging his own personal sin. He says, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (51:3). This is a straightforward verse, but it is instructive to us to notice that David recognizes that he has sinned. He does not attempt to make excuses or escape responsibility for his sin; he openly acknowledges what he has done.
But David goes even further in that he acknowledges that he has sinned against God. He writes, “Against you [God], 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” (51:4). Here we have some important points regarding David’s sin. First, he declares that he has sinned primarily against God. This is an interesting point – you would think, based on the story, that David’s primary sin was against Urriah if it was against anybody. But there is a central reality being demonstrated here: all sin is primarily against God. Even though David stole Urriah’s wife and then took Urriah’s life, his primary problem is that he broke the law of God that says “Thou shalt not murder” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” David’s primary problem is that he has sinned against God. And the thing that weighs on David’s conscience – even more than his remorse toward Urriah – is his remorse toward the Lord.
But David goes even further. He tells God, “…you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgments” (51:4b). Here we see another central reality about sin: because sin is primarily against God, it is entirely right for God to judge that sin. This verse is astounding for its honesty. David is acknowledging the fact that God is just to judge him because he has sinned against God himself. More than simply acknowledging the fact that judgment is fair, David is pretty much submitting himself to that judgment. Again, we see here no excuses and no complaints – simply honest recognition of having sinned against God.
But David takes even another step. We have seen David readily acknowledge his own sin in committing adultery and murder. We have also seen him acknowledge that he has sinned primarily against God and is thus rightly deserving of judgment. But, in verse 5, David goes so far as to acknowledge that he himself is a sinner. He writes, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (51:5). Here we see David acknowledging that his problem is not just that he does bad things, but that he is a sinner – and has been from his birth. David’s point in talking about being born in sin is that being a sinner is part of his essential nature. This is a humble recognition that the problem of sin is more than just skin-deep. David is making clear that he has been a sinner since he was born, because he was conceived in sin.
Before we move on in the psalm, it is essential that we understand David’s clear statements about sin in regard to ourselves. The things David says about sin are no less true about us than they were about him. First, like David, we must recognize that we sin. David is not alone in breaking God’s law – we have all done it. That is why John writes, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him [God] a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 2:10). There is not a person in the world that has not done something wrong at some point in their life. This is a point that most people readily acknowledge (“Nobody’s perfect”), but it is also a point that we cannot forget.
More than the fact that we do sinful things, we need to realize that we are also sinful at heart. This is a crucial distinction – our problem is not just that we do bad things. The bad things we do proceed from the fact that our hearts are sinful. Rather than deciding who we are based on what we do, we need to realize that we do things because of who we are. We cannot get this backwards. Like David, we were conceived in iniquity – being sinful is part of who we are by nature. This is important because it means that the solution to our problem – as we will see momentarily – is not to simply act differently. We need a change that goes deeper than that. We must remember not only that we sin but that we are sinners.
Finally, like David, we need to understand the seriousness of our sin. We must understand that our sin is not primarily against other people – though it certainly affects those people. Our sin is ultimately against God. If we lie, we have not only wronged the person to whom we lied, but we have disobeyed the God who told us not to lie. If we commit adultery, we have not only sinned against another person, but we have disobeyed the God who told us not to commit adultery. We have to understand that sin is a serious reality because all sin is ultimately sin against God. And the result of sinning against God is that he is absolutely right in judging our sin. Just like the wicked that Paul describes in Romans 1, we are “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). It is advantageous for us to acknowledge this reality like David, but even if we refuse to acknowledge it, that does not change the reality of the situation. We are sinners – God’s wrath burns against us because of that. And it is entirely just for that to be the case.
Having acknowledged his sin, David moves on to plead for the Lord’s forgiveness. Interestingly, having just spoken of the fact that he is a sinner by nature, David speaks of God’s holy character and his desire for holiness. He writes, “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart” (51:6). Again, it is almost as if David is acknowledging the holy character of God in direct opposition to the horrible sinfulness of his own heart. Much like with verse 4, David is acknowledging the great divide between his own sin and the holiness of his God. There seems to be no way to resolve this divide, and David understands and feels that reality.
As a result, we see David crying out to the Lord for forgiveness. Listen to David’s plea: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities” (51:7-9). There are a number of important realities contained in this cry from David that we must not miss.
First, we must recognize that David – simply by the nature of his cry – is acknowledging that there is nothing he can do to compensate for his sin. It is interesting to notice that David is not even attempting to “make up” for his sin. David recognizes that God is absolutely perfect. Even if 1 sin is countered by 100 good deeds – that 1 sin remains, and the perfectly holy God is still right and just to punish it. There is no effort on the part of David to plead that his good words have outweighed his bad – all he knows is that he has sinned.
Instead of attempting to compensate for his sin, we see David throwing himself on the mercy of God. Rather than attempting to make up for his sin, we see an interesting thing in David’s response: faith. David is acknowledging that his only hope is that the Lord might forgive his sin. We must remember that David is the king of Israel, and he knew that the penalty for both adultery and murder was death. The just punishment for David’s crime was death, and so David is throwing himself at the feet of the Lord and pleading for mercy. He is crying out to the Lord to pardon him and to cleanse him from this sin. David knows that his only hope is the Lord’s mercy.
But we should notice something else that David makes clear – because (as we will see in a moment) it relates directly to us. In pleading for God’s mercy and forgiveness, David also makes clear that the mercy and forgiveness of God is all that is necessary to deal with his sin. Just as David makes clear that he cannot earn forgiveness, he is also demonstrating a heart that understands that he does not need to earn it. He pleads for the Lord to purge him and then declares that if that purging happens, he “shall be clean” (51:7a). He pleads for the Lord to wash him and then declares that if that washing happens, he “shall be whiter than snow” (51:7b). David is crying out for forgiveness and mercy – understanding that is all that is necessary. Since God is the one against whom the sin has primarily been committed, it is God who can – and must – deal with that sin.
At this point, though, we have to remember the point David made in verse 5 – his problem is not just this particular sin but the fact that sin is part of his nature. Interestingly, even in pleading for God’s mercy, we see David acknowledge this same reality. After pleading for the Lord to forgive him for, and cleanse him from, this particular sin, David says, “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” (51:10-12). Here we see David making an astounding request: he is pleading for the Lord to not only deal with the actual sin that he has committed but with the fact that he is by nature a sinner as well. David is pleading for the Lord to deal with his wicked heart. He is pleading for the Spirit of the Lord to remain in him so that he might live differently than we as human beings live by nature. David knows that if he is abandoned by the Lord he will sin more and not less. This is an astounding prayer that David offers to the Lord. Again, David is throwing himself on the mercy of the Lord in order to receive mercy and be forgiven for his sins.
As we step back and consider how David’s example and words relate to us so many years later, it is not difficult to see that we are not as separated from David’s situation as it might seem. Just as we can easily see our own sin and sinfulness in David’s initial acknowledgment of sin, we can also readily see that our need in the midst of our sin is no different than David. On the most basic level, we need to heed David’s example and realize that our only hope to be delivered from the wages of our sin is to cast ourselves on the mercy of God. The only proper response is to trust in the Lord for cleansing from sin. Moreover, the only hope in dealing with our sinful hearts to trust in the Lord.
For those who may not be believers, you need to remember the first thing we saw in this psalm – we all sin and we are all sinful at heart. Just like David, you cannot “make up” for your sin. And God will not simply overlook your sin. When David wrote this psalm, he simply knew that he had to entrust himself to the Lord and let the Lord deal with his sin. He did not know exactly how the Lord was going to deal with sin. Today, we do know, and I can tell you that the only way your sins will be forgiven is if you turn from those sins and place your faith in trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ who died for our sins and was raised for our justification. If you are not a Christian, your only hope is to throw yourself on the mercy of the Lord – just like David. Apart from that mercy, you will die. And if you do trust in Christ, you will be saved. If you genuinely ask to be purged and believe in Christ, you will be clean. If you genuinely ask to be washed and believe in Christ, you will be whiter than snow. There is one remedy for sin and it is trusting in the one who died for sin – Jesus Christ.
For those who are believers, the message is not that different. In context, David is a faithful follower of the Lord. Though these declarations about sin and forgiveness are true for those who are not Christians, David more closely resembles a believer in the new covenant than a non-believer. This is a man who has been following the Lord and has committed a gross sin – one punishable even by death. So if you are a Christian who still sins, you can relate to David’s situation.
That said, we need to recognize the key differences between David and ourselves. One of the glorious things about our position is that we possess the very thing for which David prayed. David had sinned and cried out to the Lord to cleanse his heart. He also cried out to the Lord not to take the Holy Spirit from him. David lived in the old covenant when such a fear was a genuine reality. As believers in the new covenant, we have the things for which David prayed. Ezekiel 11 and 36 make clear that key features of the new covenant are a new heart and a new Spirit. This is true of us – we have the new heart which David desired. We have the Holy Spirit that David was pleading to keep. And the result is that, like David, we can know forgiveness. The reality of the new covenant is that when we sin (which we do and will), we can confess our sins and God is faithful and just to forgive those sins – and he does that very thing.
As Christians, this is imperative for us to understand. Our responsive in sin, just like David, is not to cover up that sin. Our response is not to try to “make up” for that sin. Our response to sin is to repent of that sin and trust that Christ has paid the penalty for that sin so that we can be forgiven. Let me make it clear: the forgiveness of your sin has nothing to do with anything you can do – you have to entirely trust that the sacrifice of Christ is enough. If you want to be forgiven – trust in Christ. As a believer, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just in forgiving them.
And one more thing we must understand as Christians is that the forgiveness of God is absolute and real. Just as David understood, if the Lord purges us, we are clean – regardless of our own feelings or consciences and regardless of the feelings and consciences of others. If the Lord washes us, we are whiter than snow – regardless of how we appear to ourselves or others. Part of being a Christian is understanding that forgiveness is real. When we sin, we have an advocate with the Father – and we can be forgiven, just like David. If you are a Christian, respond to your sin by confessing it, repenting of it and trusting in Christ for forgiveness.
But David actually goes even one step further in his prayer to the Lord. We have seen David acknowledge his sin and cry out to the Lord for forgiveness. He then goes on to vow to the Lord that if he is forgiven, he will respond in a particular way. In short, David is declaring that he will live in a particular way once his sin is forgiven by the Lord. There are a number of facets to this way of life that David describes, but the essence of it can be summed up in one word: faithfulness. David makes clear that if he is forgiven, he will respond with a heart of faithfulness.
But what does this faithfulness look like? David gives us a few answers. First, he writes, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (51:13). The first thing that David declares is that, if he is forgiven, he will tell others about this forgiveness. He will speak to others of the glorious mercy of God in granting forgiveness to sinners.
He goes on say, “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (51:14-15). Here we see David making clear that, if he is forgiven, his response will be to praise the Lord. This seems almost self-evident: if only the Lord can deal with sin, only the Lord should be praised for the forgiveness of sin. David recognizes that fact and declares that he will not fail to praise the Lord and sing of the Lord’s righteousness and holiness and mercy.
The last part of David’s response is that he will respond with utter humility and submission to God. He writes, “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” (51:16-17). Here we see David making a startling statement about the way he will respond to the Lord’s mercy. In the Old Testament, the primary way that God’s people demonstrated their faithfulness was through sacrifice. David’s words represent the deeper reality to which the sacrifices pointed. As we saw in Psalm 50 a few weeks ago, David understands that God’s delight is not in the sacrifices but in what the sacrifices are meant to represent – the humble and faithful heart of the one bringing the sacrifice. David understands this fact and declares to the Lord that he will respond – not with symbols of a humble and thankful heart but with an actual humble and thankful heart. And much like with his declaration of confidence in the Lord earlier, David makes clear that the Lord “will not despise” such a heart of humility and gratitude.
Just like with the other parts of David’s prayer, this last section of his petition is very instructive for us today. As we saw earlier, the experience of believers is the actual fulfillment of what David desired. He longed to have his heart cleansed, and in the new covenant, we actually experience the reality of having a new heart. He longed for the Spirit of the Lord to not be taken from him, and in the new covenant, we need not fear that the Spirit will be taken from us because the Spirit is the seal upon our hearts of redemption. If this is the reality of our situation, we have all the more incentive to respond as David vowed to respond.
If we have experienced redemption, it should move our hearts to praise the Lord and sing of his righteousness. How amazing is it not only that we can be forgiven but that God can be faithful and just in forgiving us?!? The Lord has granted us redemption and that reality should be enough to move our hearts to worship and praise him forever. Jesus Christ died for our sins and that reality should be enough to cause us to treasure him and delight in him forever. If we truly feel the weight of our sin like David – that we should rightfully have died – then the reality that we have eternal life will appear all the sweeter. And the author of that eternal life will appear all the more praiseworthy.
Likewise, if we have been forgiven, it should drive us to speak of this to others. The most amazing news in the entire world is that there is a way for guilty sinners to be forgiven and declared not guilty. It does not happen through them living a certain way or doing certain things. It happens through trusting in Jesus Christ. It does not cost any money. It does not matter what is the color of someone’s skin. Gender does not matter. This is great and glorious news, and part of our responsibility as those who have been forgiven is to tell others about forgiveness.
And, like David, if we have been forgiven, our lives should issue forth in humility. Like David, we should not respond just with symbols of a humble and thankful heart. We should respond with an actual humble and thankful heart. We understand this reality even greater than David did. David recognized that the sacrifice God desired was not a bull but a humble heart. We recognize further that the sacrifice God desires is not a bull but a life lived in submission to him (Rom. 12:1-2). We are a royal priesthood, and our sacrifice is a faithful life that flows from a humble and grateful heart.
David closes by pleading for the Lord to make things right for his people. The people of Israel always looked to some final day when their enemies would be fully defeated and they would live in peace. David demonstrates this by saying, “Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar” (51:18-19). Here we see David looking to a future day when all that is wrong is made right.
Interestingly, we see from David’s description that he did not fully understand the details of that future glorious day. We do not understand them all either – but we understand a bit more than David. We understand that that glorious day has already begun to come in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We understand that there will not be literal sacrifices offered on that day (as David’s words seem to imply) because the true sacrifice has come in the person of Jesus. We understand that the sacrifices offered up on that final day will be the praises of God’s people as they exalt him and praise him. Just like David, we look forward to that final day when the culmination of our forgiveness takes place. On that day, we will be a group of ex-sinners who have been forgiven by God. And we will praise him for eternity for the fact that he has forgiven us. Amen.