A Broken Heart and A Perfect Sacrifice: An Example of Confession and Forgiveness

A Chapter a Day

• Sunday, November 29, Psalm 58
• Monday, November 30, Psalm 59
• Tuesday, December 1, Psalm 60
• Wednesday, December 2, Luke 1
• Thursday, December 3, Luke 2
• Friday, December 4, Luke 3
• Saturday, December 5, Luke 4

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Psalm 51, ESV
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy.  
   blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin! 

1. Mercy results from God’s , not ours.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

2. We should confess our and our .

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.

3. We should ask God to us.

• God will you clean.
• God will his face from your sins.
• God will your sins.
• God will give you a heart.

¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence,
      and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
      and uphold me with a willing spirit.

4. Forgiveness leads to renewal of with God, to God, and in God.

 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
      and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
      O God of my salvation,
      and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
      and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
      you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
      a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

5. Forgiveness leads to and .

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
      build up the walls of Jerusalem;
¹⁹ then will you delight in right sacrifices,
      in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
      then bulls will be offered on your altar.

6. My personal, spiritual renewal can have an impact on .