Psalm 51:10-19 - David's Plea for a Clean Heart

Psalm 51:10-19

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
¹⁶ For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

¹⁸ By Your favor do good to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Message: David's Plea for a Clean Heart

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

This chapter continues to sound off the sinner's prayer for forgiveness and cleansing. And yet, it seems to be a prayer from a saved person, seeking to turn from his sinful ways. He is saved, but sin continues to take place in his life.

God, create in me a clean heart...and bring me back to where I was before, with a consistent, non-stop mind focused on You...do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Bring back the joy of my salvation and sustain me with a mind that is turning towards you. With me, in your Presence, transgressors will come to know your ways and sinners will be converted for I won't be a stumbling block to them and I can encourage them. Deliver me O God from the guilt i have over my sin...you are my God, my salvation; may my tongue sing of your righteousness. Open my lips Lord. My mouth is to declare your praise. You desire a changed heart, not simply right religious duty like a sacrifice or offering. Change me from the inside-out. Do good God to the people of God. Be our fortress. With a heart directed to you, then sacrifices made to you will take on their full meaning.

Spirit
There were a few verses in this passage that really stood out to me. In verse 10, create in me a clean heart is an easy to understand outcry, but the 2nd phrase, and renew a steadfast spirit within me doesn't ring out as clear. Spirit conveys the idea of the bent and bias of the mind; the vigour and activity of it. The word here would naturally convey the idea that there had been formerly a right and proper spirit in him, which he prayed might now be restored. The language is that of one who had done right formerly, but who had fallen into sin, and who desired that he might be brought back into his former condition.

Verse 12 talks about bringing back the joy of my salvation which continues the idea from verse 10 that my life would return to the salvation experience I had. Take me back God to that joy.

Inner Change
The other verse that stood out to me, with a little confusion was verse 16 -  For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. Mere outward sacrifices - in bloody offerings themselves, unaccompanied with the expression of genuine penitence, God could have no pleasure. This is one of the numerous passages in the Old Testament which show that the external offerings of the law were valueless unless accompanied by the religion of the heart.

This is the change that is needed, an inward change, not simply what is seen on the outside. 

Promise: Having changed me from the inside out, bring opportunities in my life to share of you with others.