Repentance (Psalm 51)

Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart (Ps. 51:6).

Lord, please help me to be truthful in my inmost being. Help me not to hide from my sin or try to hide my sin from You. Often, instead of acknowledging my sin and repenting of it, I justify it to myself and to You. Please bring Your truth to bear. I desire to walk in truth—but not in some legalistic fantasy of my own creation, and not in self-justification and denial. Please give me wisdom to know how to walk the straight path You have set before me with honesty, humility, and confidence.

Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin! (51:2).

I need to be washed daily. You have freed me from the root of sin once and for all. But I still walk in this world and get dirty feet. Sins that I know and sins that I do not mean to commit cling to me. Have mercy and wash me thoroughly so I may walk pure before You. Help me to repent quickly when I sin. Only You are pure. Only You can make me clean.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me (51:10).

You said that it is what comes from the heart and out of the mouth that defiles me. Cleanse my heart and my lips, Lord. Help me only to open my mouth to speak, and my heart to believe, what is right and true and life-giving. Give me a persevering spirit that when I fail, I immediately repent and begin again. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning.

Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me (51:11).

I want to live in oneness with You. I want to walk daily in Your presence. Please protect me from grieving or quenching Your Spirit. Help me to be yielded to You continually. Your Spirit is life. Being away from Your presence is death. Make me sensitive to the difference.

My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise (51:17).

Lord, my spirit is not broken enough with sorrow for my sin. Humble me, Holy Spirit. Make me thoroughly penitent. I do not want to be despised by You for my pride and self-satisfaction. Please break my heart.