David prayed this prayer after he had committed sin with Bathsheba and was confronted with Nathan the prophet. “HAVE MERCY (compassion shown to someone you have power to harm) upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies…” (Psa. 51:1) God gave David a revelation of his sin. David had sinned in murder, in adultery, in covering his sin, and in hardness against repentance. It took the bold confrontation of Nathan the Prophet to shake him from this; yet once shaken, David came in great HONESTY AND BROKENNESS before God. “When the Holy Spirit has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…” (John 16:8)
Then CAMDEN, David says, “Blot out my transgressions. (David felt a record of his many sins condemned him, and he wanted the account of them to be erased. The blotting out referred to David’s own conscience, and to God’s accounting of sin.) WASH ME THOROUGHLY (through-in and through-out) from my iniquity, (The word of God through Nathan the Prophet worked like a mirror to show David how DIRTY AND STAINED he was. He had lived in that condition for some time (perhaps a year) without an intense knowledge of his iniquity and sin. Now the sense of the stain drove him to beg to be cleansed.) And cleanse me from my sin.” (Psa. 51:2)
“For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. (Psa. 51:3) David realized it was NOT ONLY ONE, but several transgressions. He did this without excuse, blame-shifting, or rationalization. He knew and confessed his wrong. “Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.” (Psa. 51:4) In an objective sense this was not true. David had sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah, their families, his family, his kingdom, and in a sense even against his own body (1 Corin. 6:18). Yet all of that faded into the background as he considered the greatness of HIS SIN AGAINST GOD.
Then David prayed, “…Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness…Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psa. 51:7-10) God forgave David and he became a great godly king.
Your Personal Pastor -Papa…