Psalms are sacred songs. David is said to have written most of the 150 Psalms in the Bible, including songs of praise, thanksgiving, lament, royalty and more. Psalm 51, one of the seven “penitential psalms,” gives voice to the heartache he suffered for his sin.
While David was king, he arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be killed so he could continue an adulterous relationship with his wife, Bathsheba. David was “beloved” and “a man after God’s own heart” and he had been given the gift of the Holy Spirit which dwelled in him his whole life. He loved God and knew he had sinned against God. His sorrow overflowed.
David begged for forgiveness and blamed no one but himself. He asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within him. He longed to be filled with His joy and goodness again. David had fought off a giant with God, he knew where to turn and for whom to wait and trust with his heart.
God wants to restore my heart. He wants me close to Him. With my heart restored and His spirit within, my relationship with Him is where He wants it. My will is His, my love is His, my life is His and only His. Restore my heart, Lord.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12
Meeting God at the Park 