Do Christians sin? Unfortunately they do, and in Psalm 51 we have a solemn reminder not only that believer’s sin but that we, as children of God, can be forgiven.
Psalm 51:1 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”
A. When a Christian sins, relationship with God is not altered but fellowship is broken. This was David’s trouble – still God’s child but out of fellowship with Him for a whole year. Notice what sin does to us when we fail to confess it:
Poor David – and poor you, if this is your condition and if you are living out of fellowship with the Lord each day! What should we do when sin breaks fellowship with God? How should we seek to get that fellowship restored?
B. We must assure ourselves of God’s unfailing love and compassion.
Now it is important to see that this is the very first thing David did (v. 1). What a tremendous appeal there is here! David appealed to God’s unfailing love and compassion. God hates our sin but He loves us with an everlasting love. The Lord is not as hard as we sometimes make Him out to be; He weeps over us and waits to forgive us when we return to Him in penitence.
C. We must acknowledge our sin and confess it openly to the Lord
David did this (vv. 1-6). Notice verses 3 and 4 in particular. This acknowledgement and confession must be sincere and full – compare v. 6 with Psalm 139:23-24. Notice how David described his sin:
D. We must ask for and receive by faith forgiveness and cleansing from sin
Look at the end of v. 1, and vv. 2, 7 and the beginning of v. 10. David’s words of confession tie up beautifully with 1 John 1:9. It is important to notice the words “blot out” in v. 1 of Psalm 51, because these words remind us that God not only forgives but He forgets our sin when He forgives it (Isaiah 44:22; Colossians 2:14).
E. We must seek afresh the infilling and the empowering of the Holy Spirit
Be quite clear that when we sin the Holy Spirit does not leave us, but He is grieved (Ephesians 4:30). We do not need to pray today, therefore, David’s prayer in the last part of v. 11, because Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:16). What we do need to pray, however, is the prayer recorded in the last part of v. 12 (Psalm 51), referring to the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17). Only as the Holy Spirit fills us and empowers us will we be kept from falling again into sin.
F. We must rejoice in the blessing of renewed and fruitful service for the Lord
No service can be effective while sin is harbored and until it has been confessed and forsaken; but as soon as we have acknowledged our sin, have confessed it to the Lord and received His forgiveness and cleansing and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, then we are ready once again to be used in His service, to be made fruitful for His glory. This will be:
Thank God that a sinning saint, a believer who has fallen and grieved the Lord, may get back into full fellowship with Him! If you are in this position, He waits to receive you back if you will come to Him in penitence and humble faith.
