RTW 2022

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

A thought about Nathan (Random and not really related to the lesson):

• How do I/would I respond to someone calling out my sin?
• How do I/would I speak to someone about their sin?

“This great song, pulsating with the agony of a sin-stricken soul, helps us to understand the stupendous wonder of the everlasting mercy of our God.” – G. Campbell Morgan

David wants one thing; He wants things back to the way they were. This is Psalm is a cry to the only One who could give him hope.

Sin such as David’s doesn’t happen overnight. Sin of this magnitude happens one small compromise at a time. If we aren’t Spirit-filled, Spirit-walking Believers, sin won’t bother us because we are either not saved, or so far from God that we can’t sense the quicken of the Spirit’s tap on our heart… our conscious.

Our sin

• is against God.
• should disturb us, keep us awake, keep us from eating, keep us from all normal life activities.
• should disrupt our relationship with God, if it doesn’t there is a real problem.
  It agonized David’s soul. Read Psalm 32.

Real restoration can only come

• through repentance of our sin.
• from God.

If I’m not willing to repent of my sin, I can’t expect to be restored to God.

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” – Unknown

• Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
  James 1:14-15

• Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
  James 4:17

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Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.
2 Samuel 11:4

I’ve often wondered if Bathsheba willingly slept with David or was told, “The king wants you,” and she really didn’t have a choice.

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Psalm 51 TLB

O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night. It is against you and you alone I sinned and did this terrible thing. You saw it all, and your sentence against me is just. But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom.

Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. Don’t keep looking at my sins—erase them from your sight. Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires. Don’t toss me aside, banished forever from your presence. Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to other sinners, and they—guilty like me—will repent and return to you. Don’t sentence me to death. O my God, you alone can rescue me. Then I will sing of your forgiveness, for my lips will be unsealed—oh, how I will praise you.

You don’t want penance; if you did, how gladly I would do it! You aren’t interested in offerings burned before you on the altar. It is a broken spirit you want—remorse and penitence. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not ignore.

And Lord, don’t punish Israel for my sins—help your people and protect Jerusalem.

And when my heart is right, then you will rejoice in the good that I do* and in the bullocks I bring to sacrifice upon your altar.

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