Psalm 51

Psalm 51:7-12

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

David has written this Psalm after his meeting with Nathan the prophet.  Nathan has pointed out to him the sin that like Hebrews 12 describes "so easily entangles."  Obviously David understood what he had done was sin and now is willing to deal with the issue.  In the verses before this part of the passage he confesses his sin and agree's with God that it is sin.  

Now he seeks to be cleaned.  Hyssop was a plant used for medicinal purposes and like hyssop forgiveness cleanses and removes the sin out from our lives. (1 John 1:9)  You can continue to hear his prayer of repentance through the next couple of sentences.

Then he ask God to do something only that God can do, give him a pure heart and renew the relationship that they have enjoyed in the past.

Sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and pay more than you want to pay.  But praise the Lord that it only takes one step to get back to Him and that is repentance (turning away from sin and turning toward God).  God loves us so much and desires to be in relationship with us that he promises to never leave us or forsake us even if there is a season of sin in our lives.  He is always there and with arms wide open is willing to receive, restore and refill our lives with His Spirit.  

Father thank you for your forgiveness, thank you for providing a way for us to be forgiven.  Thank you that when we confess you are willing to cleanse us and to restore the relationship.