Prepare In Me A Clean Heart
This verse is familiar. ‘Prepare in me a clean heart, Oh God. And renew a steadfast (right) spirit within me.’ Psalms 51:10
A decade ago, while working the Eagle Ford Shale oil field of south Texas, I listened to Keith Green sing his beautiful song based on Psalm 51. The song is taken nearly word for word from those written by King David.
Listening was a sort of ritual. I worked insane hours, long hot hours, both day and night. I lived out of my small 23-foot travel trailer, sleeping when I could. Keith Green’s were the most listened to songs in my iTunes account.
It was a routine. I came back to the tiny trailer, cleaned up, made a quick microwave dinner, selected Keith Green on my Mac and listened as I fell asleep.
Psalm 51 is a wonderful chapter written by Israel’s greatest king. He repented for the sin he had committed before God. It is a Psalm of true, real repentance. The sort that comes from deep in the heart. It is far more than, ‘I’m sorry please forgive me.’
You remember.
The King lusted after Bathsheba as he watched her bathe on the rooftop next door. She was the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David’s most loyal army commander.
David took her. It was the modern-day equivalent of sleeping with the wife of your friend. More than a friend. Your best, most loyal friend. The one you can count on. Always. The friend who stands with you even when you’re wrong. Uriah the Hittite was just such a man.
I say all this because I woke up yesterday with the verse in my head. I had not been dreaming. At least not that I remember.
The verse was there the moment I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and reached for the comfortable light weight flannel pants I love to wear while lounging around the house.
Is It Important? The tune in my head?
For me, there is a significance to it. It is not uncommon for the Holy Spirit to impress me with something early in the day. Sometimes He will wake me far earlier than I would have chosen. Usually there is something I need to know.
It has taken me a long time to begin to understand how it works. I’m learning. I’m making progress, but far slower than I would like. I am grateful that God is patient with me.
It took me more than a day to arrive at the point of writing this post. The message is a simple one.
Repent for your sins while you can. There is nothing, nothing that God won’t forgive. That doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences for your sin, but God will forgive you if you come to Him like David did in Psalm 51.
Let’s go back.
David was a King loved by the people of Israel more so perhaps, than any other man. He could have anything he desires.
King David was loved by God. He was a man after God’s own heart. He was mighty in battle. And he was victorious. He was the one who killed Goliath for mocking the army of the Living God.
All that and he still gave in to the lusts of his flesh. He seduced Bathsheba. But it’s worse than that.
Bathsheba got pregnant. She was going to have a baby and her husband was away fighting a war for the king.
Uriah the Hittite was fighting David’s war while David was sleeping with his wife.
There’s more. David needed to cover up the sin, so he sent word to the front. Uriah the Hittite was to engage the enemy where the fighting was the most intense. David wanted his commander killed to hide king’s sin.
God sees everything
Uriah was killed in action. Bathsheba would have her baby. David would make her his wife. The plan worked.
Not so fast.
Even the best laid plans have flaws. God knew what His anointed king had done. God saw everything.
David, being a man, had free will to do whatever he wanted. Even when he knew in his heart, he was sinning against God. The sin was a choice and David chose to violate a commandment of God.
You would think that scheming to kill your friend to cover up adultery was bad enough. And it is.
Violating the commands of God is worse. The God who gives breath to every living creature has rules. There are commandments that shall not be broken. He is very clear in what we can and cannot do.
David sinned. His sin was against God.
Nathan The Prophet
God sent Nathan the Prophet to call out the king for the sin he had committed. It is a great story if you wish to read it, you’ll find it here in 2 Samuel 12:1,
Reading how Nathan tells the king what the Lord had shown him, is worth reading.
But for now, know, the consequences of David’s sin resulted in the death of the child born out of adultery.
Does it sound familiar?
Why must children pay the price for the sins of their parents? Innocence destroyed because adults cannot control their own lusts.
Why did the Holy Spirit place Psalm 51 on my heart?
I think it’s to tell all of us that God will do for us what He did for David.
God will restore in us a clean heart. He will forgive our sins. We must however do as David did. We must confess our sin and ask God for forgiveness.
This might be a good time to actually read what David wrote. Here is Psalm 51. NKJV.
David confessed before God.
David asked to be cleansed. Verse 2: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
I hope you actually read the whole Psalm. It’s only 19 verses. In it you’ll see confession, repentance, and asking for forgiveness.
The bottom line
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). No one is perfect. No one is without sin.
Remember, Nathan the Prophet heard from God proving God knew of Davids sin. The question is not whether God knows our sin. The question is, do we have so much pride that we believe God doesn’t know? Or worse, that God is okay with us? Or worst yet, we simply don’t care.
Have you confessed yours to God? Have you asked God to forgive you? Have you asked God to save you from the punishment required for sin?
Jesus died for our sins. His horrible death by crucifixion paid the price of sinning against a Holy and just God. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
We all need Jesus
Jesus paid the price. His execution was for our sin. He died so we don’t have to.
Those who refuse to repent, who refuse to turn away from sin and ask forgiveness are doomed.
There is a place for sinners. It is a place of everlasting torment. A place created for Satan and his fallen angels known as demons. A place without God. It’s called hell.
God does not send anyone to hell.
God’s desire is to save all of us from hell. It is a place we’re all going if we reject God’s grace. God’s free gift of salvation is available to all.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance..” 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
Jesus is the way. Heaven is a beautiful place. And it is through Jesus that we get there.
Eternity is a very long time. What is your choice?
Confess sin. Repent. Ask for forgiveness. It is all accomplished by accepting Jesus as Lord and savior.
“Prepare in me a clean heart, Oh God. Restore a right spirit in me.”
We all need to hear this message. We need to tell others. We need to send this to family, and friends. Post it on our social media.
This is Keith Green. As you listen, read the comments others have left.
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