Psalm 51:7-12 A Divine Come Back

Text: Psalm 51:7-12

Title: A Divine Come Back

Introduction:

A SETBACK is a problem that makes progress more difficult or success less likely.

A COMEBACK is a return to a former position or condition.

David writes this Psalm in response to his sinful actions. David now makes a serious point, and some serious pleas for COME BACK that ONLY GOD can make happen.

(Point) of Repentance (7-10a)

(7) Purge/Clean - David is asking for deep heart cleansing (to purify/cleanse (moral) v. — to make pure or free from sin or guilt or other undesirable traits), and uses hyssop to symbolize that, because…

…HYSSOP - was a plant used in rituals for ceremonial cleansing and atonement.

the very use of the word HYSSOP points to the moral state of the worshiper (David) and to the spiritual relationship between God and David. (Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 478). Baker Book House.)

It is ALSO interesting to me that when he says "WASH ME" he is talking about the way clothes were washed in his time, with beating and pounding.

He is so deeply sorry; he wants more than a quick wash up. He wants the very desire for sin to be washed out of him.

(9) The turning away of the face implies forgiving and forgetting sins...

(10) Create - the same "create" used in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

shape, create, form, fashion by cutting, shape out, pare a reed for writing, a stick for an arrow

shape, fashion, create, always of divine activity (Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs, C. A. (1977). In Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (p. 135). Clarendon Press.)

HEART (internal feature) n. — the locus of a person’s thoughts (mind), volition, emotions, and knowledge of right from wrong (conscience) understood as the heart.

Plea for Renewal (10b-11)

(10b-11) - also means "repair"

to renew v. — to reestablish on a new, usually improved, basis or make new or like new.

"The renewal of one's heart and spirit are common images representing not only forgiveness but also a change that enables a person to live in obedience to God's commands!"

(11) Renewal is needed because God can't use anything that has not been repaired and ready for service...(illustrate car repair)

Plea for Restoration (12)

(12) - RESTORE unto me the joy of thy salvation -

(to restore v. — to bring back into original existence, use, function, or position)

literally, "Cause the joy of thy salvation to return."

This implies that he had formerly known what was the happiness of being a friend of God, and of having a hope of salvation. That joy had been taken from him by his sin.

He had lost his peace of mind. His soul was sad and cheerless. Sin always produces this effect. The only way to enjoy salvation is to do that which is right; the only way to secure the favor of God is to obey his commands; the only way in which we can have comforting evidence that we are his children is by doing that which shall be pleasing to him.

(12b) - "uphold" means to "prop up"

Big Mama prayed, “Prop me up on every leaning side!”

Conclusion -

(Illustration) Mama when she cooked her pork chops! The residue on the bottom after taking them out. After pouring some of the grease out of the skillet, she would use the fork and kinda stir the leftover residue after putting a lil more floor and pouring water in it and let it simmer and then put just a few of the cooked pork chops back in it. But the difference was with that gravy.

The pork chop was the salvation, and the gravy was the joy!