David, after admitting his sins and repenting of them in
Psalm 51:1-4, admitted in no way could he ever be anything but a sinner, a
person who chooses his own way in rebellion to God’s will. He stated this in
two ways.
First, David said he was born in sin, “in iniquity.” He
understood, with the sin of Adam and Eve, humankind’s makeup was altered so
they/we could no longer meet with God without an intermediary. Our will became
tainted with self-desire instead of a desire for God. Adam and Eve, our
descendants, followed their own will instead of being obedient to God. Each person
is born into a sinful, disobedient being.
Second, David said his mother was sinful and so he inherited
sin through her. His nature was no better than the one who gave him birth. As sinners,
his mother and father conceived him. His DNA came from them and he was a born
sinner.
David acknowledged all humankind was changed with the fall
in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. He was a sinner in that rite. David
recognized he was a sinner because of who his parents were, too. He did not let
this keep him away from a relationship with the God whom he had come to know
and love and who, he realized, loved him.
David acknowledged God wants to be in a relationship with
each person. He said, “Behold You desire truth in the innermost being.” In this
verse he meant God desires we know His truth so we can correctly know Him to
the depths of our soul, the part of us that communes directly with Him. When we
correctly know God, then we will desire to be faithful and always commune with
Him, be in His presence. We will not want to rebel and choose a way contrary to
His.
Besides this, David said God would make him know wisdom when
he repented and lived in relationship with Him. God would enable David to understand
how to use the truth God gave Him to act and speak in the world. By opening his
secret hidden place - his innermost being - to God, David stated God would purify
and empower him by the Holy Spirit to know His will and think, speak, and enact
it in the world. His faith in God would be visible. Nothing would be hidden
from God or humankind. David would come to be known as a man after God’s heart.
That is the testimony to this day of David’s life. What
keeps God from cleansing you and implanting His truth and wisdom in you? What
keeps you from having a close relationship that is visibly lived out in the world?
I encourage you to do as David did in the first four verses of Psalm 51 –
v
Recognize you are a sinner
v
Realize God is great and compassionate to remove
your sins and the stain of your sins (your guilt) from you
v
Repent of your sins one by one
v
Then believe in the Messiah David had faith God would
send to redeem each person who believed by faith in Him.
Live by faith in the world with the truth and wisdom of God.
