The Bible offers many valuable lessons on the power of repentance. It full of examples of both the judgement and the mercy of God. One of the most eloquent examples of this is found in Psalm 51; which teaches us how to ask God to forgive us and for mercy. It was written by King David after he committed the grave sins of adultery and murder. He saw Bathsheba, who was married to a soldier named Uriah, and was consumed with desire for her. It is unclear whether Bathsheba consented to have relations with David but it is clear that Bathsheba became pregnant. Anxious to hide his sin, David called Uriah back from the battlefield.
David hoped that Uriah would have relations with Bathsheba and believe that he was the father of Bathsheba’s child. Uriah refused to be with Bathsheba because he was duty bound to stay with his soldiers. David then ordered his general Joab to send Uriah to the front of the battle so that would be killed. He even had Uriah carry that order to Joab! When Uriah died in battle David married Bathsheba. As you may imagine, all this displeased the Lord, who sent the prophet Nathan to speak against David’s actions.
With the story of David’s sin in mind, it is moving to read the opening verse of Psalm 51 NAB:
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
Psalm 51 is a cry for forgiveness. Through it David passed down The Art of Asking For Forgiveness . It is written with an elegant structure that anyone who is searching for forgiveness can follow. In this article we will look at Psalm 51 and The Art of Asking For Forgiveness.
1. Acknowledge your sin/wrongdoing
David begins by recognizing that he has done wrong:
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
Against you only have I sinned,
And done what is evil in your sight.
It is important to develop the ability to examine our thoughts and actions and recognize when they are wrong. It can difficult to be objective about our own behavior. We tend to make excuses for behavior and view it in the most flattering light. For example, when you have a fight with your family member or friend it is fairly common to say things that know will be hurtful. Trying to wound someone you care about with words and through rehashing old disagreements is wrong. We know this and yet it is a trap we can all fall into at times.
When we do that we often compound things by refusing to recognize that what we said was wrong. We justify our actions by insisting to ourselves that what we said was true or that the other person started it or that what they said was worse. We may nurse a grudge and refuse to apologize. In order to break this cycle of sin you first have to stop and acknowledge your sin. Only then can you begin to be truly repentant.
2. Ask God for Forgiveness
After acknowledging his sin, David then moves on and asks God for forgiveness:
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Once we have acknowledged our sins we can’t move forward without asking forgiveness. David recognized the important truth that we need to ask for forgiveness in order to recover from the things we do wrong. That means stopping to pray and ask God’s forgiveness. It also means having the humility to ask for forgiveness from those we hurt. For example, suppose you meet someone for the first time and form the wrong impression of them because you don’t really know them.
This can lead to either open conflict or a sort of passive/aggressive dislike. Both of those can lead you to say things about that person or do things to them that are wrong. If you later come to realize that you were wrong about them you should apologize and ask for forgiveness. In that way you can move from the wrong path to the right one. Asking God and the people that you harm for forgiveness is next important pillar of repentance.
3. Ask For Renewal and Restoration
After asking God for forgiveness David next asked God (in one of the most famous and moving passages of the Bible):
A clean heart create for me, O God,
And a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
And your holy spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
Asking for forgiveness is an important start but it is only the beginning. The power of repentance lies not only recognizing sin and asking for forgiveness but also in asking for renewal. That renewal blesses us with the ability to be freed from shackles of sin and go forward with a newly restored spirit. The power of God’s mercy is not just forgiveness, it’s transformation. For example, in recent years restorative justice has become an important concept in the criminal justice system.
Restorative justice involves bringing together those who have committed crimes with their victims and providing the opportunity for forgiveness and also an opportunity for restoration. Beyond forgiveness, the individuals who commit crimes (such as destruction of property) will also help to restore their victims (by doing things like fixing the property they destroyed or paying for it to fixed). Asking God for renewal leaves us open to a renewal of the spirit and the power to go in a new and better direction.
4. Ask God to Help you use your sin/shortcomings to teach and help other who are struggling with sin and need repentance, a new perspective, and a new way.
Once he had prayed for renewal and for a “clean heart” David went further. Recognizing that repentance doesn’t stop with the penitent person, he next asked that God would allow him to serve as an example:
I will teach transgressors your ways,
And sinners shall return to you.
Free me from my blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
Then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
When God grants us the gift the of mercy and forgiveness that is a gift we should share. It is only natural that we should want other people to know about the power of true repentance. Once we have acknowledged our own sin, asked for forgiveness and received a renewal of spirit we can help other people free themselves from the hold that sin has on us. By being open about our faith and our repentance we can inspire other people. Reading and meditating on Psalm 51 and following The Art of Asking For Forgiveness will allow us to follow in David’s footsteps and not only find forgiveness but serve as a model of penitent faith.