Psalms 51:10

THE PRAYER FOR RENEWAL

"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 a willing spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

And sinners shall be converted unto thee."

"Create in me a clean heart" (Psalms 51:10). Here is the Old Testament anticipation of the New Testament doctrine of the New Birth. "If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means: `O God, do more than forgive me, more than purify me, more than cleanse me; create in me a clean new heart that I may truly serve thee.'

"Cast me not away from thy presence" (Psalms 51:11). It seems that David here may have remembered God's casting away King Saul, and that this is a plea that a similar fate may not be executed upon David, a fate which he nevertheless feels that he deserves.

"Take not thy Holy Spirit from me" (Psalms 51:11). We know that David indeed was in possession of the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit inspired him in writing the Psalms, as Jesus himself testified (Matthew 22:43). The New Testament speaks of several things that men may do to the Holy Spirit. (1) They can resist Him; (2) they can grieve him; (3) they can lie to Him; (4) they can insult Him; and (5) they can quench Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Certainly the conduct of David regarding Bathsheba was a grief to the Holy Spirit.

"Restore ... the joy of salvation" (Psalms 51:12). This verse teaches that although David had once enjoyed salvation, his sins had resulted in his having lost it. What a tragic desolation it is for any child of God to lose the joy of God's service because of the cancer of sin in his heart.

"Then will I teach transgressors thy ways" (Psalms 51:13). In this, it appears that David already anticipates the joys of God's forgiveness and restoration, therefore vowing to teach others the way of life and to bring sinners to God.