Relevance, Clarity, Truth, Wisdom - Psalm 51

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it...me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;a brokenWe feel like we've lost the presence of God in our
and contrite heart,deepest mire. We feel, see, and 'know' he is absent.
O God, you will not despise.Yet the restoring of the joy of his salvation is
The magic yet straight forward reality of truth. Godcataclysmic to the dark sources of death. We know
has designed creation for meaning, for truth andit not until we genuinely feel, see, and 'know' it -- ah,
meaning are aligned. God and all creation can see"He's returned," is the cry of our situationally fledgling
through the false, and all require the truth. Truth andheart. Like a sort of reverse Pygmalion effect, we're
wisdom are synonymous.instantly back in the classroom, left feeling fearful like
One can picture David plucking away at his harp,a child.
lamenting in sopping tears, his sin. In his lowest ebbAgainst you, you only, have I sinnedand done what is
and darkest moment, the shrill of stark truth isevil in your sight,so that you are proved right when
revealed in God's gleaming light. The revelation comesyou speakand justified when you judge.
at the very moment of David's true step ofThe vital truth is sin is a direct blow to God. Sure, we
penitence. Light returns to his heart, amid thehurt others, but we offend God most and
moment of sorrow. God's gift of grace.fundamentally. His wisdom dictates that we do the
Create in me a pure heart, O God,and renew awrong thing and the wrong thing is done to us... until
steadfast spirit within me.we turn back, returning to him the penitence
David can see clearly. He genuinely wants what onlydeserved him. We forgive others, we forgive
God can give him. In his dis-ease he can feel what isourselves.
missing, and he is in death, spiritual morosity. A pureHow could anyone not see God in that? Yet these
heart is sought. It's the only solution. David issame hearts rage against the LORD for their own
single-minded now.folly of ignorance and arrogance (Proverbs 19:3).
Do not cast me from your presenceor take yourCopyright © 2008, Steven John Wickham. All
Holy Spirit from me.Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Restore to me the joy of your salvationand grant