Daily Reading: 9-9-16
Psalm 51:1-10Living Bible (TLB)
Scripture teaches that sin (rejection of God’s ways) comes with consequences. King David had an affair with a married woman and killed her husband. The consequences of that sin were long lasting and caused David great emotional pain; brokenness. But God forgave David’s sin and cleansed him of sin’s residue. God is the Healer of the brokenhearted. He is always interested in creating a clean heart within us and we need cleansing because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. May we ask for forgiveness and receive healing.
Psalm 51:1-10
1 Written after Nathan the prophet had come to inform David of God’s judgment against him because of his adultery with Bathsheba, and his murder of Uriah, her husband.
O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. 2 Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. 3 For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night. 4 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. 5 But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom.
7 Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood[a] and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins—erase them from your sight. 10 Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for creating a clean heart within me with right thoughts and right desires. Help me to continue to follow your ways, so joy fills me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.