Psalms 51:5
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.”
David makes reference to the fact that he was born into sin. He realizes that his sin is not just a mistake that he made but a consequence of his very nature. The bible teaches that sin was passed down to us from Adam and has affected all of us making all of us sinners. Reforms are good and necessary both individually and nationally but these reforms cannot change our nature. We can become better husbands, fathers, neighbors and citizens but until we are born again we still have a nature that is unredeemed and we will be forbidden access to heaven.
Jesus came not to reform us but to transform us. He took our sins on the cross and offers us his perfect nature when we place our trust in Him. Because of our spiritual condition we must be born again in order to have a new nature and be fit for eternity.
I find it interesting that while David understood his sin nature he did not use it as an excuse for his sinful behavior. He realized that he was guilty before God for his actions and responsible to make amends for how he wronged others. Today it is very popular to blame our actions on everyone or anything. If I misbehave it is not my fault and I shouldn’t be held responsible because I am Irish, I had a bad night sleep, didn’t get my coffee, have an unreasonable boss, didn’t have a father figure in my life… It seems like the excuses today are getting stranger and stranger while the way we wrong each other is getting worse and worse. As a believer in Christ it is important to realize that we sin because it is in our nature, but that does not excuse our behavior. We must take responsibility for our mistakes, seek the forgiveness found in Christ and seek to to make amends with those whom we have wronged.
Pastor Jim
Psalm 51
- Verse 1 gives us some background of what was going on in David’s life before this Psalm was written. Read 2Samuel chapters 11 and 12 for the context of this prayer.
- Psalm 51 is known as one of the “repentance” psalms. The whole tone is of one who is aware of his own sinfulness and is pleading for mercy. Count the number of times that David mentions the words sin, iniquity, transgression, or guilt (or any variations of these words). Are you aware of your own sin before God?
- Count how many things David asks God to do for him. Does David tell God that he will change or does he ask God to change Him?
- According to verse 4, ultimately who does our sin hurt?
- Read verse 12-15. When God begins to work change in David’s heart, what does David believe will happen in his life?
- According to verses 16 and 17, what is God looking for from us?
Old Testament:
Psalm 52- Good And Evil
2 Samuel 21- Giant Killers
2 Samuel 22- Battle Plan
Have you ever heard the phrase “You can’t take it with you”? It seems like this sentiment might be as old as time itself. Thousands of years ago the sons of Korah used it as a lyric in one of their most famous songs. The basic thought is that when this life comes to an end all that we have accomplished will be left behind. In recent years I heard a similar phrase that carries the same thought, “You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer.”
Being a mom is among the greatest of all callings, but it is easy to forget our calling in the middle of the mundane day-to-day responsibilities that go hand in hand with parenting.
Arguments take place when we have differences of opinion. Both parties think they are right and the other is wrong. When these differences of opinion escalate they often lead to serious divisions. Marriages, families and churches have often been the unwary victims of intense argumentation. When arguments take place we have probably learned what to do when we are in the wrong; we humbly apologize and seek to make whatever restitution is necessary. But what about when we are right. Have you ever considered the proper action to take when you are in the midst of a misunderstanding between yourself and someone you care about? Perhaps it would do us good to reconsider what we do when we think we are right. David wrote;
The Bible has much to say about the poor. The word poor is used almost 200 times in the NKJV of the Bible, Israel as a nation was required to set up a system where the poor was able to glean the edges of the fields to provide food for themselves and their families (This is part of the story line of the book of Ruth). Jesus spoke of blessing the poor, and encouraged His disciples to minister to them. In the book of Acts we see the churches sending aid to believers who were undergoing severe trials caused by famine and persecution and James writes warning the church not to neglect the poor or to treat them any less than we would the wealthy. It is clear that those who are neglected by men are highly esteemed by the Lord. That being said the Bible also places certain responsibilities upon the poor. The welfare system in Israel required the poor to work for the food they received and Solomon wrote that “much food is in the fallow ground of the poor.” When Paul wrote to Timothy regarding the widows he explained that the church had a responsibility to assist the widows who were godly but charity would not help those who were living a wasteful life.
There are times in life when words seem like a raging fire building within us and we are almost forced to speak. This can be positive, like when Jeremiah wrote of being so discouraged he no longer wanted to share the words of God with anyone, until those words became like a fire within him and he could no longer contain them. Or this can be negative, like when gossip burns within us, pleading to be passed on to others; or when in the midst of an argument, we lash out with hurtful words that shatter someone we love.
I am a sports fan. I enjoy watching a variety of athletics, and am always fascinated when an athlete achieves victory, almost effortlessly. No matter what the opponents do, they are unable to stop him. Over the years, I have come to understand that those who seem to win with the least effort, are really the ones who have put in the most effort. They are the ones who are first in the gym and last out. Their diets, workouts, sleep patterns, even off days, are regimented so as to keep them in the best possible condition for victory.
We cannot be sure the exact situation that stirred David to write this Psalm, but we do know that he seemed to be under continual attack. From the start, he had to deal with those who continually came against him. His father neglected him, his brothers tormented him, the Giants ridiculed him, the king hunted him, and the neighboring nations sent armies to attack him. As a result, it would be fair to say David was an expert on warfare and he knew how to fight on many different fronts. In this Psalm, he reveals the secret behind his success. When under attack, David looked to God for defense.
There can be great value in getting away from our manmade world and looking at the creative work of God. Seeing the beauty of His creation seems to give us new perspective on His love, power, and glory. I can recall one particular sunset in Africa that was so magnificent and seemed to last for an hour. The sky was filled with an array of colors, like I had never seen before. I recall how the view of the snow capped Austrian Alps, and the water falls of Kauai captivated me, filling me with awe and amazement at the beauty of God’s handiwork. I am sure you have a list of your own experiences that cause you to celebrate the beauty of creation. That being said, the Psalmist begins to talk about what God views as true beauty. He declares;
Jim Gallagher 