Acknowledging Sin

Psalm 51 stands as the best-known of the Penitential Psalms, in which the psalmists acknowledge wrongdoing, and pray for the mercy and forgiveness of God (see also Pss. 6; 32; 38; 102; 130; and 143). Indeed, this psalm, written after Nathan the prophet confronted David over his adultery with Bathsheba, could serve as a model prayer of repentance. Because the psalm shows that repentance is brought about by the Holy Spirit, and because David writes it under the inspiration of the Spirit, mere is a sense in which the Spirit is instructing us on what He yields in us when He works repentance in our hearts.

David begins by pleading for God to “Have mercy,” the characteristic response of a person who has become aware of his sin and desires to turn from it. Once we see our sin, we understand that we can stand before God only if He will be merciful. David would not think of asking for justice here—he knows mat would bring destruction. Continuing, David then prays that God will “blot out my transgressions.… Wash me thoroughly … and cleanse me.” The image of cleansing is at the heart of the Biblical concept of forgiveness. David asks that God will remove the stain from his soul. Cleansing from sin is something we should seek and something God gladly gives (1 John 1:9).

In these petitions and his cry for mercy, David implicitly is owning up to his sin. But it is fitting for the penitent one to confess his sinfulness explicitly—and David is willing to do so, saying, “I acknowledge my transgressions.” He is haunted by what he has done and makes no attempt to minimize his guilt or justify his actions. Neither should we. We must remember, as David says, that sin ultimately is an offense to God. When David says, “Against You, You only, have I sinned,” he technically is using hyperbole, for he sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah, his wife, the nation, and perhaps others. But he knows that he has violated God’s law and that God has every right to judge him for it. That is why he says, “That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” He has no hope because of his sinful nature—unless God will make him “to know wisdom,” to know and love the ways of God.

Acknowledgement of sin is essential to true repentance. Tomorrow, we will examine other elements of repentance in this psalm.