Peter Barnes | Psalm 51:1-6
SERMON NOTES
A HEART BROKEN IN REPENTANCE
Psalm 51:1-6
– there is a kind of progression: David pleads for pardon (51:1-2); he acknowledges God’s righteous character (51:3-6); a renewed plea for mercy (51:7-12); David’s resolve to serve God (51:13-17); his prayer for the welfare of Zion (51:18-19). Jerome: ‘a great sin needed great mercy’.
1. Sin is deep-seated and deadly.
– 51:1-2; ‘blot out my transgressions’ (51:1) refers to his rebellions; ‘wash me thoroughly from my iniquity’ (51:2) refers to what is crooked; ‘cleanse me from my sin’ (51:2) refers to ‘missing the mark’.
– David’s sin haunts him – 51:3. Remember that Nathan has already declared God’s forgiveness – 2 Sam.12:13. Ps.32:3-4 was before his confession; Psalm 51:3 is after his forgiveness. It still hurts.
– a result of original sin – 51:5; 58:3.
2. God is unutterably pure and holy.
– 51:4. We sin against others e.g. Matt.18:15; Luke 15:21; 1 Thess.4:6.
– like Luke 23:39-41. We never know what grace is until we realise that we do not deserve it.
– God’s demands – 51:6; Matt.5:20, 21-22, 27-28; 6:1, 3-4.
3. The only appeal of the sinner is to God’s free mercy.
– 51:1-2; Eph.2:5-6. William Carey wanted Psalm 51:2 to form the text for his funeral sermon.