Real Repentance
by Tyrone Jones
Psalms 51 captures the prayer of repentance David prayed after his sins were exposed. 1 Samuel 11 details David’s affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. His sins created a mess and grieved the Lord. When confronted with his sins by the prophet Nathan, David prays a prayer of repentance that was life changing. David's prayer shows us that true repentance is more than saying, “I’m sorry.”
David acknowledges He had sinned against God; he does not deny it. He feels the weight of his sins and in Psalms 51:4, David says, “Against you, you only have I sinned and done evil in your sight.” David is not ignoring his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah. But David recognized that the reason he could sin against them was because he first sinned against God by breaking His law. It is true repentance, when we, like David, acknowledge that we have disobeyed God’s commands and our hearts break knowing we have dishonored Him. We feel the weight of our sins and are grieving about it. I can’t just be sorry for the consequences of sin but must ultimately be sorry that I offended God.
True repentance was shown because David took full ownership of what he did and saw his sin in light of God’s holy standards. In verse 4B, David says, “I have done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement.” David does not blame others for his sins. He takes full responsibility for his actions and makes no excuses. Sometimes we sin and instead of taking responsibility, we are quick to point the finger at others or our circumstances to justify our sin. David is not shifting the blame nor is he using cultural norms as his standard by saying, “everyone else is cheating so I am not that bad.” Instead, He measures himself by God’s righteous and holy standards. He acknowledges that he had done evil in the sight of the Lord.
In Psalms 51:12 David prays, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Sin had stolen David’s joy. Not only had he committed physical adultery, but he had also committed spiritual adultery, his lust had become his god. David truly repented and was petitioning God for the restoration of joy. What an encouragement to know that when there is true repentance, the joy of our salvation will be restored.
1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Psalms 51 captures the prayer of repentance David prayed after his sins were exposed. 1 Samuel 11 details David’s affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. His sins created a mess and grieved the Lord. When confronted with his sins by the prophet Nathan, David prays a prayer of repentance that was life changing. David's prayer shows us that true repentance is more than saying, “I’m sorry.”
David acknowledges He had sinned against God; he does not deny it. He feels the weight of his sins and in Psalms 51:4, David says, “Against you, you only have I sinned and done evil in your sight.” David is not ignoring his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah. But David recognized that the reason he could sin against them was because he first sinned against God by breaking His law. It is true repentance, when we, like David, acknowledge that we have disobeyed God’s commands and our hearts break knowing we have dishonored Him. We feel the weight of our sins and are grieving about it. I can’t just be sorry for the consequences of sin but must ultimately be sorry that I offended God.
True repentance was shown because David took full ownership of what he did and saw his sin in light of God’s holy standards. In verse 4B, David says, “I have done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement.” David does not blame others for his sins. He takes full responsibility for his actions and makes no excuses. Sometimes we sin and instead of taking responsibility, we are quick to point the finger at others or our circumstances to justify our sin. David is not shifting the blame nor is he using cultural norms as his standard by saying, “everyone else is cheating so I am not that bad.” Instead, He measures himself by God’s righteous and holy standards. He acknowledges that he had done evil in the sight of the Lord.
In Psalms 51:12 David prays, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Sin had stolen David’s joy. Not only had he committed physical adultery, but he had also committed spiritual adultery, his lust had become his god. David truly repented and was petitioning God for the restoration of joy. What an encouragement to know that when there is true repentance, the joy of our salvation will be restored.
1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.