Sunday, November 13th, 2016 - PM - David or Doeg? (Ps. 51)

Savoring the Psalter  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  1:03:11
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Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation!

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Psalm 51–52 KJV 1900
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; Like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, And root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. The righteous also shall see, and fear, And shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: And I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Introduction:

Compare the Immediate Context:
* David (Ps. 51)
* Doeg (Ps. 52)
* Both sinned heinously
* David found forgiveness, life & blessing
* Doeg found guilt, condemnation & death
Main Thought: David believed that God would forgive him. Can you imagine how he felt when his sins were forgiven?
Sub-intro: Describe the context of David's sin (2 Sam. 11-12) contrasted with the context of Doeg's sin (1 Sam. 22:22ff).
Because this psalm deals only with confession and has no word of the forgiveness (which did follow immediately in the historical narrative, 2 Sam. 12:13b), this psalm must be understood as a full meditation on the importance of confession. After a believer sins, he must obtain forgiveness if he is to enjoy full participation in the service of the Lord. The message of this psalm is that the vilest offender among God’s people can appeal to God for forgiveness, for moral restoration, and for the resumption of a joyful life of fellowship and service, if he comes with a broken spirit and bases his appeal on God’s compassion and grace. [Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 832.]
Body:

I. A Plea in Repentance (Ps. 51:1-9).

A. Seeking God's Compassion (Ps. 51:1-3).

1. God's Unfailing Love (v. 1).

Psalm 51:1 KJV 1900
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Note - Hesed & the play on words (mercy, lovingkindness, tender mercies) as well as the parallelism

2. Our Undeniable Need (v. 2).

Psalm 51:2 KJV 1900
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
The three verbs David employed here are figurative. Blot out implies a comparison with human records that can be erased; wash away (kāḇas) compares forgiveness with washing clothing (often viewed as an extension of a person), and cleanse is drawn from the liturgical ceremonial law in which one might be purified for temple participation. These requests (cf. vv. 7, 9) stressed David’s desire for God’s total forgiveness of his transgressions … iniquity, and sin. [Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 832.]

3. Our Unrelenting Guilt (v. 3).

Psalm 51:3 KJV 1900
For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me.
Note the epithets for sin: transgression, “the violation of law”; iniquity, “crookedness from the straight line of rectitude”; sin, “missing the mark.” However much God longs to forgive, he cannot, until confession is made. We must acknowledge our lapse from virtue! Blot out, as from a record; wash, as foul stains from linen; cleanse, as a leper by the touch of Christ. Our only plea is the multitude of God’s tender mercies. [F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 3 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 78–79.]

B. Sinful Man in Comparison (Ps. 51:4-6).

1. The Bar of Justice (v. 4).

Psalm 51:4 KJV 1900
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.
What an evaluation of sin! Had he not sinned against Uriah, against Bathsheba, against old Ahithophel, his friend, his counselor, and Bathsheba’s grandfather? Had he not sinned against the people over whom he ruled? Had he not sinned against that little boy born to Bathsheba under such sordid circumstances? Of course he had. But while sin is against man it is also against God. The prodigal son said: “I have sinned before heaven and in Thy sight.” Sin is against God; as such, it is so enormous an offense, so fearful a guilt, that all human dimensions fade into nothing when compared with it. “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned.” David’s sorrow and repentance were deep and real. It was not just that he was sorry for the consequences of his sin. Esau and Saul and Judas were all sorry when they saw what was going to happen as a result of their sin. David was sorry for the sin itself and for the passion that had kindled it into flame. [John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ps 51:4a.]

2. Born in Sin (v. 5).

Psalm 51:5 KJV 1900
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
Note - Sinner by birth; sinner by choice.

3. Blinded By Sin (v. 6).

Psalm 51:6 KJV 1900
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

C. Supplication for Cleansing (Ps. 51:7-9).

1. Defiled By Sin (v. 7).

Psalm 51:7 KJV 1900
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
In his prayer for forgiveness the psalmist made the same requests as before (cf. vv. 1b–2) but in reverse order: cleanse … wash, and blot out. [Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 832.]
Note - Hyssop = sprinkling of blood
Hebrews 9:22 KJV 1900
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

2. Disabled By Sin (v. 8).

Psalm 51:8 KJV 1900
Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

3. Disgraced By Sin (v. 9).

Psalm 51:9 KJV 1900
Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.
What dirt is to the body, sin is to the inner person, so it was right for David to feel defiled because of what he had done. By committing adultery and murder, he had crossed over the line God had drawn in His law (“transgression”); he had missed the mark God had set for him (“sin”) and had yielded to his twisted sinful nature (“iniquity”). He had willfully rebelled against God, and no atonement was provided in the law for such deliberate sins (Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:31–32). David could appeal only to God’s mercy, grace, and love (v. 1; Ex. 34:6–7; 2 Sam. 12:22). [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 186–187.]
Colossians 2:14 KJV 1900
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

II. The Psalm's Centerpiece (Ps. 51:10).

A. A Clean Heart Created.

B. A Right Spirit Renewed.

C. In Me.

David’s sins had affected his whole person: his eyes (v. 3), mind (v. 6), ears and bones (v. 8; see 32:3–4; 35:9–10; 38:8), heart and spirit (v. 10), hands (v. 14), and lips (vv. 13–15). [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 188.]

D. Centered Around God.

Application: Thread the Themes from Ps. 50-57:
* Ps. 50 - God the Judge Appoints Each Soul to the Bar to Be Judged.
* Ps. 51 - The Penitent Can Have a Clean Heart Created Within.
* Ps. 52 - The Crooked & Corrupt Heart Faces Condemnation.
* Ps. 53 - The Truth Is that None (from the David's to the Doeg's) Do Good; All Have Sinned.
* Ps. 54 - Salvation Is of the Lord; He Alone Can Justify the Guilty Sinner.
* Ps. 55 - Come & Cast Your Burden upon the Lord, for He Careth for You.
* Ps. 56 - Trust in Him, and He Shall Bring it to Pass.
* Ps. 57 - Give Glory to God for His Salvation.

III. A Prayer for Restoration (Ps. 51:10-19).

A. A Serious Concern (Ps. 51:11-13).

1. Cast Away (v. 11).

Psalm 51:11 KJV 1900
Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.
The Lord gave the Holy Spirit to David when Samuel anointed him (1 Sam. 16:13), and David didn’t want to lose the blessing and help of the Spirit, as had happened to Saul when he sinned (1 Sam. 16:1, 14; see 2 Sam. 7:15). Today the Spirit abides with believers forever (John 14:15–18), but God’s children can lose His effective ministry by grieving the Spirit (Eph. 4:30–32), lying to Him (Acts 5:1–3), and quenching Him by deliberate disobedience (1 Thess. 5:19). The phrase “willing spirit” in verse 12 refers to David’s own spirit, as in verse 10. A “willing spirit” is one that is not in bondage but is free and yielded to the Spirit of God, who ministers to and through our own spirit (Rom. 8:14–17). It isn’t enough simply to confess sin and experience God’s cleansing; we must also let Him renew us within so that we will conquer sin and not succumb to temptation. The Lord did forgive David but permitted him to suffer the tragic consequences of his sins (2 Sam. 12:13–14). [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 188.]
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 KJV 1900
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

2. Cast Down (v. 12).

Psalm 51:12 KJV 1900
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.
Much of the depression in the lives of Christians today is caused by sin. It may be flagrant sin, hidden away somewhere in the past, gnawing away at the conscience.... Sin causes depression. David did not take his depression to a psychologist. He took it to God. He knew that his depression was caused by sin. He wanted God to restore the joy of his salvation. We cannot lose our salvation; but we can certainly lose the joy of our salvation.... That joy could come only from God after the cause of his depression, his guilt and sin, had been removed. [John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ps 51:12a.]

3. Converted (v. 13).

Psalm 51:13 KJV 1900
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psalm 19:7–14 KJV 1900
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

B. A Sacrificial Commitment (Ps. 51:14-16).

1. Salvation's Song (v. 14).

Psalm 51:14 KJV 1900
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

2. Purposeful Praise (v. 15).

Psalm 51:15 KJV 1900
O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
This psalm is a ladder which climbs from the horrible pit, with its miry clay, into the heights of sunny joy, where the song breaks from the forgiven penitent. Here is the cry of the lost sheep which has been torn by briers, harried by wild dogs, drenched in the morass, but which the shepherd has found and brought home rejoicing. This path has been worn by myriads of penitents. [F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 3 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 78.]

3. Duty vs. Delight (v. 16).

Psalm 51:16 KJV 1900
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

C. A Soul in Contrition (Ps. 51:17-19).

1. Gaining God's Esteem (v. 17).

Psalm 51:17 KJV 1900
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
1 John 1:7 KJV 1900
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 KJV 1900
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2. Governing Under God's Economy (v. 18).

Psalm 51:18 KJV 1900
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

3. Giving that God Exults in (v. 19).

Psalm 51:19 KJV 1900
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Conclusion:

Apply the Thrust of Psalm 51 -
* Believe that God can and will give you mercy if you ask.
* Feel the refreshment of forgiveness as the blood of Christ cleanses you.
* Arise in confidence, giving thanks to God and His Truth to others.
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