Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
Psalm 51
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
Commentary:
51:3–5 I Own Up to My Sin. The next section builds on the humility expressed in the opening section, freely acknowledging that the sin is the worshiper’s own and that God is free from all blame. Indeed, God would be fully justified in refusing the request for mercy and bringing judgment instead.
51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned. Of course, in doing wrong he has hurt others; the point here is that God is the ultimate judge for all sin (thus harming others is given not less weight but more). Cf. David’s response to Nathan, 2 Sam. 12:13. so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. The psalmist acknowledges his guilt before God “so that” God’s justice in all he does will be clear. In Rom. 3:4 Paul cites this part of the verse from the Septuagint in support of his argument that God is just and is entitled to judge.
51:5 I was brought forth (that is, from the womb) in iniquity. David thinks of himself as a sinful person from the time of his birth. in sin did my mother conceive me. The idea is not that the act of conception was itself sinful, but (as the parallel first line shows) that each worshiper learns to trace his sinful tendencies to the very beginning of his existence—not only from birth but even from before that, to conception. (This certainly attributes moral accountability, the most important aspect of “personhood,” to the developing baby in the womb. This is why many see this passage as implying that an unborn child should be thought of as a human person from the point of conception in his mother’s womb.)
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 999–1000.
51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned. Of course, in doing wrong he has hurt others; the point here is that God is the ultimate judge for all sin (thus harming others is given not less weight but more). Cf. David’s response to Nathan, 2 Sam. 12:13. so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. The psalmist acknowledges his guilt before God “so that” God’s justice in all he does will be clear. In Rom. 3:4 Paul cites this part of the verse from the Septuagint in support of his argument that God is just and is entitled to judge.
51:5 I was brought forth (that is, from the womb) in iniquity. David thinks of himself as a sinful person from the time of his birth. in sin did my mother conceive me. The idea is not that the act of conception was itself sinful, but (as the parallel first line shows) that each worshiper learns to trace his sinful tendencies to the very beginning of his existence—not only from birth but even from before that, to conception. (This certainly attributes moral accountability, the most important aspect of “personhood,” to the developing baby in the womb. This is why many see this passage as implying that an unborn child should be thought of as a human person from the point of conception in his mother’s womb.)
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 999–1000.
Questions:
- David's prayer of repentance started with a recognization of who God is, but also of his own rebellion. A heart of REPENTANCE requires RESPONSIBILITY. David makes it clear that he sinned against God and God alone. If we are going to truly repent of our sins, we have to own up to what we've done and be honest with ourselves and with God. When you mess up, is your instinct to own up to it or to make excuses?
- We must learn to live a lifestyle of repentance. Following Jesus means not hiding or excusing sin. It means not living in habitual sin. We MUST be broken over our own rebellion and must turn from that sin and turn to God... we must change! What is the difference between a confession and real repentance?
Pray:
- That you would learn to live a lifestyle of repentance.
- That God would point anything out in you that doesn't please Him.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
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