1. A Journey Through The Psalms
Wisdom From God
A Journey Through The Psalms

2. Psalm 51– A Plea From A Sorrowful Sinner
We need to be reminded of the high and terrible cost of sin.
Psalm by David after his terrible sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.
Explores the joy of genuine repentance.
Shows the anxiety connected to sin
Exposes our need for forgiveness from God.

3. A Plea For God’s Compassion
Psalm 51:1-4 – “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.”

4. A Prayer For Washing and Cleansing
Wash thoroughly from iniquity
Cleanse from my sin
Transgressions and sin always before him.

5. Who Is Sin Truly Against?
Sin was against Bathsheba – defiling her.
Sin was against Uriah – resulting in his death.
Sin was FIRST against God.
So that – God’s judgment is always justified.
We hurt God deeply every time we sin!

6. A Plea For Purification
How deeply we are defiled!
vs. 5-9 – “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.”

7. Conceived in sin?
Hyperbole in vs. 5 – not doctrine supporting original sin and the need to baptize babies.
Does demonstrate our predisposition toward sin – how easily it entangles us.
Shows the snare of our fallen world.

8. What Does God Desire From Us?
Truth in the innermost being
Wisdom in the hidden part
Observation that God knows us inside out. He knows our failures and also our successes. Knows the depths of our being.

9. Purification With Hyssop
A powerful request filled with deep meaning.
Hyssop typically used for purification purposes.
Leviticus 14:4 – “(healed leper) …then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed.”
Exodus 12:22 – (Passover) “…You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood…and apply some…to the lintel and the two doorposts.”

10. Hyssop At The Cross
John 19:29-30 – “A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

11. Begging For God’s Forgiveness
“Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.”

12. Plea For Renewal
Vs – “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. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.”

13. Recognizing His Fall
Create in me a clean heart, O God – understands the wreckage that sin leaves of our pure hearts.
Renew a steadfast spirit – understands the wandering away from God that resulted in sin.
Do not cast me out or take Your Spirit from me – remembers what happened to Saul. Pleads with God for a new chance.

14. Restore Joy Of Your Salvation
Not MY salvation, but YOUR salvation – recognizing the source of redemption.
Knows that uncovered sin steals away our joy.
Sustain in me a willing spirit.
Expresses his desire that he never wander away from God again.

15. Deliver Me From Bloodguiltiness
How had God punished David?
2 Samuel 12:10 – “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife….I will raise up evil against you from your own household…..the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”
Oh how dreadful the results of his sins!

16. Proclamation From Joy
Verses – “Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You….Then my tongue will joyfully sin of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.”

17. What Does God Truly Desire?
V – “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
Humility and faithfulness

18. What Brings Joy To God?
“By Your favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in the righteous sacrifices, in burn offering and whole burnt offering; then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.”
The HEIGHT of praise to God!