In our last session we studied verses 1 and 2 but we'll pick back up with them today and then move forward. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." (Psalm 51:1-2) We talked about how David comes to the Lord for mercy on the basis of who God is: loving and compassionate. David doesn't appeal to the Lord on the basis of any good things he might have done in his life. He can't, for no one is righteous enough to blot out their sins.
He continues, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me." (Psalm 51:3) David acknowledges his sins. He doesn't deny them or try to make excuses for them. He doesn't say, "I know I did these terrible things, but let me tell You what led me to making such poor decisions." Something I've learned about myself is that I'm in trouble when I apologize to the Lord for wrongdoing and try to add the word "but" after I tell Him what I've done. There is no "but" when confessing to God. The Holy Spirit has pointed this out to me many times so that now, as soon as the word "but" enters my mind, it's as if I hear Him saying, "No, no! There is no 'but'. There is only confession, period."
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge." (Psalm 51:4) It's not that David didn't sin against anyone other than the Lord when he committed adultery, tried to pass off his illegitimate child as another man's, had that man killed, took that man's wife, and attempted to deceive all the people of Israel into believing he conceived the child with Bathsheba after they were married. David certainly did sin against a lot of people. But when he says he sinned against the Lord only, I think he's talking about the fact that he violated the laws of a holy God. In sinning against the people the Lord created, and in breaking the laws the Lord put in place for mankind, he acted against the Creator and the Supreme Ruler of all things. David won't face a court of law on earth for his sins. He is the king of Israel and no one is going to dare to bring any charges against him; he could pardon himself from the charges if they did. But this doesn't mean he can exonerate himself from any charges in the Lord's court. So when David prays his prayer he is, figuratively speaking, standing before the righteous Judge and agreeing with Him that he is a sinner. He agrees that the Lord's laws are good and holy. He agrees that he has broken these laws. He agrees that the Lord is within His rights if He chooses to punish him to the fullest extent of the law.
David acknowledges that he was born into a fallen world with a fallen nature and that no amount of good works on his part will make him righteous. No amount of good deeds can cancel out his sins. Only the Lord can pardon sins. But David also reminds the Lord that in spite of knowing David wouldn't be able to live a sinless life, the Lord called to him long ago. The Lord wanted a relationship with Him and the Lord created in David a desire to know Him. This is something we all can say because the Lord wants a relationship with every human being. "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet You desired faithfulness in the womb: You taught me wisdom in that secret place." (Psalm 51:5-6)
When we conclude our study of Psalm 51 tomorrow we'll find David admitting his utter helplessness to live a perfect life. He'll admit his inability to atone for his sins and will appeal to the only One capable of blotting out his sins. He is following the correct pattern for repentance and setting an example we can follow.
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