Psalm 51 has long been one of my favorite passages of Scripture, and I came to love it because of Jon Foreman’s song White as Snow. Other people may shy away from this psalm because it’s entirely about sin. However, it’s pretty humbling to read (and even more humbling to sing and confess to God yourself!). I came across MacArthur’s notes on this passage in the MacArthur Study Bible. They were so helpful in reminding me of the power of this psalm. BACKGROUND If you didn’t know already, here’s the background of Psalm 51: “This is the classic passage in the OT on man’s repentance and God’s forgiveness of sin. Along with Ps. 32, it was written by David after his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, her husband (2 Sam. 11–12). It is one of seven poems called penitential psalms (Ps. 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). To David’s credit, he recognized fully how horrendous his sin was against God, blamed no one but himself, and begged for divine forgiveness.” OUTLINE: Plea for Forgiveness (51:1–2); Proffer of Confession (51:3–6); Prayer for Moral Cleanness (51:7–12); Promise of Renewed Service (51:13–17); Petition for National Restoration (51:18–19).” TAKEAWAYS Ps. 51:1 Steadfast Love “Even though he had sinned horribly, David knew that forgiveness was available, based on God’s covenant love.” Have you ever been overwhelmed by your own sin, to the point of believing that God would abandon you? Or perhaps, you are so frustrated by what you have done, you become severely depressed and don’t know how you can keep on going? Sin can make us feel as if we are entirely unloveable. But MacArthur points out here in his notes that David, before apologizing for his sin, calls on God’s unconditional love. Remember, David just MURDERED someone. Murder! I can’t image the weight of the shame and guilt he must have been carrying. I’m so thankful that the Bible doesn’t cover up the mistakes of God’s people. Instead, we can read this and be encouraged. Ps. 51:4 Against You, You Only “David realized what every believer seeking forgiveness must, that even though he had tragically wronged Bathsheba and Uriah, his ultimate crime was against God and his holy law (cf. 2 Sam. 11:27). Romans 3:4 quotes Ps. 51:4.” When we sin, it is so important to remember that our mistakes are ultimately against God. I can think of two good reasons for meditating on this idea. The first is that we don’t want to act as if our sin only has to do with other people—it affects our relationship with God and we need reconciliation with Him. We need to ask for forgiveness! But also, we know that God is faithful and just to forgive us, and it is His forgiveness that matters. We are able to move past our sin and pursue holiness, even when the people we have sinned against won’t accept our apology. Ps. 51:6 You Will Not Delight in Sacrifice “Ritual without genuine repentance is useless. However, with a right heart attitude, sacrifices were acceptable (see v. 19).” What kind of rituals surrounding repentance have we created? Maybe at your church, you recite a prayer of repentance each week. Or, it may be that you have a habit of asking God for forgiveness, but it’s become numb to you. God cares less about the action and more about the heart. Make sure to take the time you need to truly repent of your wrongdoing. Your relationship with God (and own struggle with sin, guilt, and shame) will be better for it. Dig Deeper! If you enjoyed the content above, get more like it with the MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition which is available in three translations! NASB MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Ed. ESV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Ed. NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Ed.