30 Days - an Overview of the Bible in Just Thirty DaysNäide

Freedom from Shame

There are seasons when God feels distant, not because he’s gone anywhere, but because we have. We get distracted, worn down, pulled in by noise, comfort and control. And slowly, we stop listening. Prayer feels harder. Worship feels empty. And we start to wonder if God is even still close. That’s usually when we start running. We’re not always sure from what. Guilt? Fear? Maybe even God himself but the further we run, the more we realise, we can’t outrun God. And when we finally stop, when we turn around, we find that God never left. He’s still there. He’s always there.

Psalm 51

What do you do when you have messed up and let God down? How do you get right with God? How do you receive his mercy?

King David wrote this psalm when he was wracked by guilt and shame after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, engineered the death of her husband Uriah and then taken Bathsheba to be his wife. All this was made public by the prophet Nathan, and the enormity of what he had done filled David with remorse, regret and repentance (see 2 Samuel 11 onwards). What can you learn from David’s response?

1. See the need for God’s mercy (vv.1–5)

We cannot appreciate the mercy of God until we see our own need and the seriousness of our situation. David uses three words to describe his own wrongdoing:

• Transgression (vv.1, 3)

This means crossing a boundary. God’s boundaries are there for our protection, security and enjoyment. When we cross them people get hurt. In one series of actions David had broken four commands. He was guilty of coveting, theft, adultery and murder. One transgression leads to another.

• Sin (v.4)

This means missing the mark or falling short of a target. It is the difference between what we are and what we might have been. David recognises that he has sinned against God. The essence of sin is revolt against God. He does not try to justify himself (v.4).

• Iniquity (v.5)

This points to the fact that our whole nature and character are flawed. Human nature is infected by sin. However, this is not incompatible with human responsibility. David accepts responsibility and does not make excuses for his actions. We cannot blame our parents, God, friends or even the devil. David, a person of mature years at the height of their career with great power and popularity is prepared to admit he is a sinner in need of God’s mercy.

2. See the greatness of God’s mercy

David uses three expressions and three metaphors.

• Library

He prays that God would ‘blot out’ his transgressions (v.1). It is as if God has a book of guilt and shame. The moment you repent, he blots out all the entries and leaves you with a clean page.

• Laundry

The effect of sin is to make us dirty. David prays that God will wash him clean (v.2).

• Leprosy

David prays that God would ‘cleanse (him) with hyssop’ (v.7). This was how a leper was cleansed. A bunch of hyssop was used to sprinkle sacrificial blood onto him seven times. Just as the healing of leprosy involves creation of new skin, so David prays, ‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me’ (v.10).

Only in the light of the cross can this be fully understood. Your sins have been blotted out because Jesus paid the price for them. ‘You were washed… in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God’ (1 Corinthians 6:11). The blood of Christ cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:7, rsv).

3. See the results of God’s mercy (v.11 onwards)

David did not escape all the tragic consequences of his sin (see 2 Samuel 12 and the rest of the history of Israel). However, David did recover much of what he had lost through his sin. Now, as a result of God’s mercy, you receive everything David received including:

• The sense of the presence of God (v.11)
• The power of the Holy Spirit in your life (v.11)
• The joy of your salvation (v.12)
• Enthusiasm for doing God’s work (v.12)
• Effectiveness in your ministry (v.13)
• Intimacy with God (v.15)

God in his mercy restored all this when David came and said, ‘Have mercy on me.’ God will never despise a ‘broken and contrite heart’ (v.17). However serious our sin, God’s mercy is even greater.

Ask God to reveal to you if there is anything for which you need to ask God’s forgiveness and then read Psalm 51 as your own prayer to God. If you'd like to, let's pray this prayer together:

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, that when I confess my sins, you wash me clean and forgive me because Jesus died for me. Lord, I ask you to forgive me for…

In your mercy, restore in my life: a sense of your presence, the power of your Holy Spirit, the joy of salvation, fruitfulness and enthusiasm in my work for you and intimacy in my walk with you.

References

© Nicky Gumbel, 2024

This reading plan is adapted from the book 30 Days by Nicky Gumbel. It is published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, and by HarperCollins Christian Publishing in the USA.