(51:1) David's Confession - This psalm expresses one of the clearest examples of repentance in all of Scripture. Countless broken sinners have found in these words an exquisite expression of their deeply felt need for God's mercy and forgiveness. David's confession has helped people examine excuses, halfhearted repentance, and lack of sorrow over sin that can keep them from experiencing pardon. David's words also demonstrate the place of hope within confession. Use this psalm as a starting point when guilt or a feeling of distance from God is affecting your relationship with him. It will help you identify and remove sin in your life through sincere confession and repentance. 

(5:1-7) David Repents - David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bath-sheba and for murdering her husband to cover it up. He knew that his actions had hurt many people. Because David repented of those sins, God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too great to be forgiven! Do you feel that you could never come close to God because you have done something terrible? God can and will forgive you of any sin if you ask him to and turn from it. He will cleanse and purify you. While God forgives us, however, he does not always erase the natural consequences of our sin. David's life and family were never the same as a result of what he had done (see 2 Samuel 12:1-23). 

(51:4) Sinning Against God - Although his sin had been against Bath-sheba and Uriah, David said that he had sinned against God. When someone steals, murders, or slanders, the act is against someone else--a victim. According to the world's standards, extramarital sex between two consenting adults is acceptable if nobody gets hurt. But people do get hurt-in David's case, a man was murdered and a baby died. All sin hurts us and others, but ultimately it offends God because sin in any form is rebellion against his way of living. When you are tempted to do wrong, remember that you will be sinning against God. That may help you avoid disaster. 

(51:10) Cleansing from Within - Because we are born as sinners (515), we naturally want to please ourselves rather than God. David followed that inclination when he took another man's wife. We also follow it when we sin in any way. Like David, we must ask God to cleanse us from within (51:7), clearing our hearts and spirits for new thoughts and desires. Godly conduct can come only from a clean heart and spirit. Ask God to create a clean heart and spirit in you. 

(51:12) Distant from God - Do you ever feel stagnant in your faith, as though you are just going through the motions? Has sin ever driven a wedge between you and God, making him seem distant? David felt this way. He had sinned with Bathsheba and had just been confronted by Nathan the prophet. In his prayer he cried, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." God wants us to be close to him and to experience his full and complete life. But sin that remains unconfessed makes such intimacy impossible. Confess your sin to God. You may still have to face earthly consequences, as David did, but God will return the joy of your relationship with him. 

(51:13) Restoration - When God forgives our sin and restores our relationship with him, we want to reach out to others who need this forgiveness and reconciliation. The more you have felt God's forgiveness, the more you will desire to tell others about it. Encourage someone today with the reassurance that God loves and forgives him or her. 

(51:17) Brokenness - God wants a broken spirit and contrite heart. You can never please God by outward actions- no matter how good--if your inward heart attitude resists him. Are you sorry for your sin Brokenness here is about being open and responsive to God's correction, as opposed to being hardened or resentful. God is pleased by this kind of humble repentance. ? Do you genuinely intend to stop?

Each day, we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Psalms with Chapter 51. In our text today, we see a theme of David's plea for mercy, forgiveness, and a Clean Heart. David realizes that God wants our hearts right with him. In applying, we see that our hearts can drift from the Lord. Even after we are saved, we must strive to keep our hearts and lives clean and free from sin. The world, our flesh, and the enemy are constantly trying to sway our hearts. Daily cleansing through His Word, listening to His Spirit, and prayer and repentance create a clean heart within the child of God. How about you? Is your heart clean before the Lord? Let us learn from our Psalm and text today to follow David as he said, "Create in me a clean heart" as we cleanse ourselves through His Word.