Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Application: 

In Psalm 51:7–9, David pleads for mercy and protection from the rightful consequences of his sin—he deserved the death penalty for both adultery and murder. Only God could cleanse him, so he asks for purification with hyssop (51:7). This plant had been dipped into the Passover lamb’s blood when it was applied to the Israelites’ doorframes (see Exod 12:21–23). He longs for God to remove the burden of his guilt, which caused him both physical and spiritual suffering, and to wipe it out (51:8–9).

In Psalm 51:10–13, when David asks God to give him a clean heart and not take the Holy Spirit from him (51:10–11), the king is not worried about losing salvation. He’s not referring to the indwelling of the Spirit because the Spirit did not indwell Old Testament believers as He does New Testament believers. The real concern here is David’s desire to fulfill the royal calling God placed on his life. When he was anointed as king, “the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward” (1 Sam 16:13). He didn’t want to lose God’s calling and empowerment like his predecessor Saul had (see 1 Sam 16:14). So he asks God to restore to him the joy of salvation so he can be energized to lead others to the Lord through repentance, faith, and obedience (51:12–13).

In Psalm 51:14–19, if God delivers him from the guilt of his sin, David commits to giving God abundant, public praise (51:14). He knows that God doesn’t want mere external worship and sacrifice; He desires a humbled heart that is broken over personal sin (51:16–17). A casual relationship with sin, in fact, means no authentic worship of God. True worship requires us to give ourselves wholly to God without reservation (see Rom 12:1). When God’s people come to Him in genuine repentance, He will show them favor and accept their worship (51:18–19).

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 534.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write blogs. Consider this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures to determine whether what I write is so. Always consult with your church ministers about biblical matters. I am also not a professional writer, so some grammar or spelling errors may be present. I try my best to write as efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo

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