“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:16-17
Back when God required sacrifices and burnt offerings, before Jesus came to the earth and gave Himself to be the ultimate sacrifice and pay our debt, David knew it was not in the burnt offerings and sacrifices the people made for their sins, but rather the heart, that God found their brokenness and repentance. The sacrifices were done in obedience, BUT, where was the heart during the sacrifice. Where was the heart after the sacrifice.
Broken spirit: are we overwhelmed with sorrow when we sin against God, when we choose to not obey Him? We break in repentance, and God fills us with His living water to move forward and live for Him. Read and meditate on His Word.
Contrite heart: do we deeply regret our disobedience? It’s when we are in this place in our heart and spirit, that God can restore us and build us back up in Him. For He does not want us to stay in a place of condemnation, but rather to accept His grace and forgiveness in our brokenness. Read and meditate on His Word.
God is amazing! He does not have to love us this way. He does not owe us anything. And yet His love for us remains. He sees our heart. He knows us. Yet His love for us remains!
Praise the Lord!
PSALM 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.