Scratching the Surface of the Psalms #51

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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Scratching the Surface of the Psalms

#51

“O.K.”

Here’s the most obvious fact of our lives and the only remedy: “I’m not O.K. and you’re not O.K. but God says that’s O.K. because we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.”

Maturity dictates that conclusion.

While we may not be as bad as our antagonists advertise, we’re not as good as we often pretend.

We’re messed up and need a Savior.

Praise God that we’ve got Him in Jesus!

Still, we’ve got to admit we need a Savior before we can turn to Him and be saved.

I’ll never forget my late friend Ted Nissen of Kansas City’s Colonial Presbyterian Church who was listening to another narcissistically self-righteous poser as she criticized him and just about everybody else on the staff and session and he finally said, “Excuse me, before we go on.  I have something in my eye.  What’s that I see in your eye?”

R.C. Sproul comes to mind who often warned, “Pray for mercy but don’t pray for justice because you may get it!”

Truth is everybody’s messed up and needs Jesus to save them from their sins by grace through faith in Jesus that forever restores relationships with Father God and His family.

That includes you and me.

No one has ever lived who doesn’t need Jesus as Lord and Savior.

It’s the most basic fact about the most basic need in our lives: “I’m not O.K. and you’re not O.K. but God says that’s O.K. because we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.”

David knew that about himself.

When he looked into the mirror, he didn’t see God’s other son.
He saw a peeping Tom, adulterer, and murderer.

A dirtbag.

Most commentators think David wrote Psalm 51 after being caught with his pants down on the wrong side of town with Uriah’s wife Bathsheba.

You know the rest of that story.

To cover up his adultery, David had Uriah put in the front lines of a war like a Second Lieutenant landing on the beaches of Europe during WWII.  

From peeping to sleeping around to covering up his tracks with murder, David was a sinner needing a Savior.

He begins with a plea for mercy; knowing judgment would be damning: “Have mercy on me, God, for I know my sins against You…I know how bad I’ve been.  My sins are staring me down.”

David admits his sins – rejections of God’s will for his life – have insulted God’s holiness and hurt God because God is hurt whenever we hurt anyone else (Jesus explained, “As you do it to them, you do it to Me!”): “I’ve sinned against You.  You’re the one I’ve violated.  I’ve been out of step with You for a long time.”

David knows he deserves to be punished: “I have sinned and done evil in Your sight.  You are right when You pass sentence.  You are blameless when You judge.  Whatever You decide to do to me is fair.”

David doesn’t deny his instincts are bad: “It’s in my DNA.  I’ve been this way since I was born.  It goes back to the garden.  There’s nothing original about my sin.  It’s genetic.  I was guilty when I was born.  I was sinful when conceived.  Nobody had to teach me how to sin.  It’s the most
natural thing for me to do.”

David promises to model Someone better with God’s help: “You desire integrity in the inner self.  You teach me wisdom.  Purify me.  Wash me.  Create a clean heart for me.  Renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Open my lips and mouth to praise You.  You don’t want religious sacrifices.  You want me; humbly submitted to You.  Going through the motions doesn’t please You.  You aren’t after mumbo-jumbo-blah-blah-blah religion.  It’s now a show.  You want my heart.  You want my worship.  You want me to love You in thought, word, and action.”

In short, David admitted, “I’m not O.K.  I did it.  I did all of it.  I’m not hiding it.  Help me!”

God received David’s authentic confession (admittance of sin) and repentance (turning from sin to Him) and restored the relationship of a child with his Father.

1 John 1 sums up God’s plan for redemption/restoration/forgiveness that David sang/prayed about in Psalm 51: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Again, it’s the most basic fact and need of our lives; “I’m not O.K. and you’re not O.K. but says that’s O.K. because we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.”

One more word.

Remember, you’re not O.K.

Not just them.

I am not O.K. and you are not O.K.

As Paul said, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Not just ya’ll.

All.

You and I and everybody else need Jesus no more nor no less than anybody else.

Everybody needs Jesus to save them; and everybody’s got Him by grace through faith.

O.K., one more word; and a most important word about God’s redemption/restoration/forgiveness plan from God in Jesus Himself: “If you forgive others, I will forgive you.  If you expect Me to forgive you, you must forgive others.  If so, so.  If not, not.”

Considering what’s in our eyes, it makes sense to be near-sighted first; then we can see far enough ahead to save the judgment for the One whose love always invites, welcomes, and includes here and now and forever by grace through faith.

O.K.?

O.K.!

Blessings and Love!

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Wake up! Look up! Stand up! Speak up! Act up for Jesus!

Shatter the sound of silence!

Salt! Shine! Leavenate!

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