David’s Story: Steps to True Repentance (Part 2)

Psalm 51

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. DAVID. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

There are two types of repentance. The first, which theologians call attrition, is a false repentance. It is essentially the attitude, “I am sorry I got caught.” This kind of repentance is motivated by a desire to avoid embarrassment or punishment. Esau in Genesis 27 illustrates this well: he was not sorry for his impulsive actions, only for losing his birthright. 

Another type of repentance is called contrition. This is true and genuine repentance. It involves a deep sorrow for having sinned against God. Contrition is an honest admission of sin, with no attempt to rationalize it or shift the blame to others. It is demonstrated through confession (an admission of guilt) and repentance (a sincere remorse for sin and a desire to change). 

Let’s consider the six steps of true confession and repentance found in Psalm 51–David’s prayer of forgiveness. 

Psalm 51 begins with this explanation in its superscript: To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. This leaves no question about the context and purpose of this psalm. It is David’s petition, pleading with God to forgive him for his grievous sin. I believe this psalm reveals six steps for true repentance. Let’s work our way through each one. 

1. True repentance is grounded in the character of God.
   
   Psalm 51:1-2
   Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Repentance always begins with the person of God. Only he can deal with our inward and outward rebellion. David’s plea for mercy is dependent on God's "steadfast love" (Heb. hesed) and his “abundant mercy” (Heb: rachamim). 

The Hebrew word hesed is a rich and significant term that appears nearly 250 times in the Old Testament. It conveys God's "loyal love" and "covenantal love" for his children. It is not merely a fleeting emotion, but an active and enduring love. Ultimately, this love is most fully seen in Christ, who bore our sins on the cross. God's hesed is unconditional. It is his steadfast love that will never let us go.

The Hebrew word rachamim is often translated as “great compassion” or “tender mercies.” Its root is rehem, the Hebrew word for a mother's womb. The same compassion a mother feels for the child she carries in her womb reflects the intimacy and compassion God has for us.

Based on God’s “steadfast love” and “abundant mercy,” David prays that God would erase the record of his “transgressions”  (Heb. pasha), a term that signifies "acts of rebellion" or "defiance against God." Second, David asks God to thoroughly cleanse his "iniquity" (Heb. awon), which denotes "inward crookedness" and "perversity." He is pleading for God to wash away the corruption within his heart. Third, David sought to be purified from his "sin" (Heb. hata), a word that refers to the "failure to meet God's standard." David openly admits his shortcomings and asks God to make his heart pure again. 

2. True repentance sees God as just.
   
   Psalm 51:3-6
   For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 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. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Although David’s sinful actions had taken place a year earlier, he admits that they were continually on his mind. In Hebrew, the word "transgressions" appears first in the sentence, emphasizing his guilt: “My rebellion, I know.” David also acknowledges that his sin was primarily against God. Certainly, he sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, and it is true that sin brings devastation to others. However, true repentance laments that sin is first and foremost an offense against God.

Why is it so important to recognize that our sin is primarily against God? First, God sets the standard of right and wrong, and disobedience is crossing the line he alone has established. At its core, sin begins with rebellion against a holy God. Second, if we focus only on how our sin affects other people, we may start justifying our actions based on what others did or didn't do to us. Someone might wrongly rationalize an affair by saying a spouse is not meeting certain needs, or excuse hurting another person because that person caused pain first. But once we acknowledge that sin is first and foremost a violation against God, every excuse, justification, and rationalization is stripped away. 

David also understood that whatever God did—however he chose to judge him–was right. There are always consequences to our disobedience, and David's were tragic. The son born to Bathsheba became ill, and while the child was still alive, David fasted, wept, and prayed that God would restore his health. When the baby died, (2 Sam. 12:22-23) David mourned, yet he accepted that God was justified in his judgment.[1] Furthermore, as a result of his sin, turmoil remained in David’s family throughout the rest of his life. 

Even David, described as a man after God’s own heart, could not escape the believer’s ongoing battle with sin. In fact, he said, “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity….”  David was not suggesting that his parents conceived him through an inappropriate sexual relationship. Rather, he was affirming the foundational truth of “original sin.” Original sin describes the condition into which we are all born.[2] 

Let's stop here. We'll continue to consider steps of repentance through Psalm 51 next time.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on Psalm 51.  Is my repentance more like attrition (fear of consequences) or contrition (sorrow for my sin against God)?

Talking to God: Ask God to search your heart and your motives. 

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