To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” (Psalm 52) In our Bibles, this introduction precedes verse one. However, in the Hebrew Bible this is the first verse...

Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. (Psalm 51:18-19) Let's consider what we have...

You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17) In the very beginning of time we are told of two...

You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17) When you consider all the different sacrifices...

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. (Psalm 51:12-13) In the physical world, death is final; there is no do over after we leave this world....

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:10-11) These words, along with the following verse, are some of the most heart-felt and heart...

Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. (Psalm 51:8-9) As was discussed in the previous devotion, David seems to hint that, given the nature of his sin and its fallout, he...

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7) As we continue in this Psalm of Repentance, David uses two particular words that hint at a very interesting, and at the same time, very serious issue -- leprosy. The...

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. (Psalm 51:6) It is typical of us, as humans, to seek understanding and knowledge that resonates in our mind as being sensible and truthful. The problem with this...

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5) There is an interesting issue raised in the book of Genesis as it relates to David's statement in this verse. When God created mankind, He created him in the image and likeness of...

For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight. (Psalm 51:3-4) As shared previously, I am of the view that the failure to acknowledge our sin is the greater issue seeing that...

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2) There is a tradition that says the prophet Nathan...