Dear Friends,
I know, I know, I know… I am saying it again, but Psalm 51 is one of my favorite Psalms. It’s because I can remember when God opened this Psalm to me. I didn’t feel joy, and I couldn’t cry about Jesus dying on the cross for me. Folks, I knew something was wrong. I was church counselor at summer youth camp over nineteen years ago when I was feeling this way, and God was knocking at my heart!
That was when I was able to go to God and find forgiveness and new joy. You see, my joy was missing, and I couldn’t figure out where I went wrong. Though these are David’s words spoken to Nathan the prophet after a sin had been committed when David had lost the joy of his salvation, the words spoke to me that day and gave me life. David nor I lost our salvation, we couldn’t feel or access the joy. Something we had done (sin) or didn’t do (like seek God often) was the reason. In short, our joy was restored. If you are missing your joy or think it’s on low and about to run out, pray David’s prayer and let God restore and refresh you. Let God take away the shame and guilt you feel. You don’t need a person to go with you to do this, but for some, a person who can help keep you accountable, like a youth leader or youth pastor, is a good idea.
Let God create a clean heart and right sprit within you (v10). Though David knew his sin and confessed before God, sometimes we have sins of omission, meaning ones we did not do on purpose or forgot that we did. Nevertheless, these sins can destroy our heart garden and steal our joy pretty quickly!
So read Psalm 51 and take your heart and soul on a journey you won’t regret! I pray that today God moves and you never forget today, the day God resorted you’re the joy of your salvation!
Psalm 51 -New International Version (NIV)
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar
Please take the time to reflect and comment:
When you go to comment, you can choose anonymous and then sign your name at the end of you post, or you can set up a Google account. The first choice is easier! I recommend that you work in Word or Word Pad first; then copy and paste it in here. Feel free to email me @ illyguana@hotmail.com with any questions you still have or concerns. You can also send me a message in FB to Illy Reich!
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