God’s mercy, forgiveness, love, and grace

Have you ever wondered where we get the idea that God will listen to us if we speak to Him?

It’s possible that you haven’t really thought about it. But, I think that it’s a big deal to think that if you speak the God of the Universe will listen. It’s an even bigger thing to think that if you ask Him for something He will answer and respond!

I mean what does it take earn the ear of God? Surely the God of the Universe has some rules established for talking to Him and asking things of Him. I mean it would make sense right?

If God is good and powerful, then you might think that for God to listen to you when you speak you too should be good and powerful. Or, you might think that God listens to those who haven’t done anything wrong in a long time. Or maybe God listens to those who have done more for others than anyone else.

I think from a human perspective it makes sense to think that God listens to those who have done the things he wants in the way he wants and as often as he has declared. And, because this is how many people think they have wrong view of who God is and what it looks like to have a relationship with Him.

For instance, many people will pray to God, but not many of them have any confidence that what they are praying for is being heard, and even less seem to have confidence that their prayers will be answered.

Look with me at Psalm 51:1-4… I love this Psalm because it does two things:

This Psalm reveals who God is, and this Psalm reveals who I am.

And I want to look at these verses today because I want you to have confidence in your prayer life. I am praying for God to use our time in the Word to draw you to Himself with faith and confidence that He is there, listening, and will answer.

Psalm 51:1-4

“1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”

The Context of Psalm 51

1. David is the King of Israel

God chose David to serve as King of Israel. David was faithful to the Lord and had a deep and abiding love for God. David understood the heart of God, which we see in Psalm 51. David understood what it was that truly pleased the Lord.

2. In 2 Samuel 11, while everyone else was at war- David sees Bathsheba and sins with her. (he was tempted and gave in to his temptation)

Bathsheba becomes pregnant and David responds with more sin.

3. David covers up his sin by killing Uriah

- in his shame he makes it worse because he ran from the light/truth and into the dark)

4. In 2 Samuel 12 God sends Nathan to confront David

5. David responds with brokenness and repentance and a cry for forgiveness

And, it would be right to ask what good does David’s brokenness do? I mean has royally messed up and there probably isn’t much left for him but to just ask to live off the scraps of the kingdom and turn in his crown and get to the back of the line.

Psalm 51 is written by a broken man, but from a place of brokenness David cries out to God with confidence…Even though he had sinned, covered it up, and then sinned again how could David have the confidence to turn back to the Lord?

David’s confidence was in the steadfast love and abundant mercy of God.

The basis for David’s cry for mercy is the steadfast love of God

51:1

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love…”

David understands God’s covenant love… that’s his steadfast love. This means that where God’s love is committed in a covenant, it stays. David’s plea for mercy is not deserved… he has no leg to stand on because of his sin. But, God loves, and God loves to the degree of covenanting His love to those who are His. He makes a covenant to love completely… and though David has broken the covenant relationship, He appeals to God’s mercy on the basis of the love that God has pledged to Him.

So, from that place David cries out to God that he would stay his hand and not follow through the punishment and judgment that David deserves.

According to the law, David’s sin deserve death… so he cries out for mercy from the loving and faithful God he has sinned against.

The basis for David’s cry for forgiveness is the abundant mercy of God

51:1

“… according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”

David not only asks for mercy (for God to not do what he deserves), he also cries out for God to give him what he doesn’t deserve- which is forgiveness.

Because of Jesus many church goers approach God for forgiveness because they know that what Christ did in His life, death, and resurrection earned their forgiveness. Another way to say it would be to say that Jesus purchased their pardon by dying in their place.

And, that is all true… But, take a minute and consider that at the time David was still looking forward to the fulfillment of all God has said coming true in Jesus. Jesus hasn’t come, the cross hasn’t happened, the tomb hasn’t even been dug out.

And yet, David, knowing full well what he deserves, asks God for forgiveness. And the basis isn’t what David has done to earn it back or to make up for… nope. David cries out to God for forgiveness on the basis of God’s mercy… the same mercy that is rooted in God’s love…

In the next few verses David establishes a clear understanding that he is a sinner standing before a Holy God and his only hope is God Himself.

51:2-4

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement.”

If I could do anything for you today it would be to introduce you to the truth that God loves you and His mercy and forgiveness are available to everyone in a covenant relationship Him through Jesus.

Why would I shift this to Jesus? Because Jesus has fulfilled the covenants and promises known as the Old Testament! And, Jesus has established the new and better eternal covenant through His sacrifice and resurrection.

Hebrews 8:5–7 (ESV) says, 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

Luke 22:19–20 (ESV) says, 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Jesus has established a covenant through His blood for all who believe and enter into fellowship with Him by faith. This covenant is one of love, that is also steadfast, or committed until the end.

God has never asked us to trust Him without using His love and mercy as the foundations.

Romans 5:8 (ESV) tells us that it was God’s love that was on display when Jesus was crucified. “8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

And though God is justified in condemning sinners because of their sin, forgiveness is offered through Jesus Christ to all who believe and follow Him with their lives by faith.

Like David, you and I have no ground to stand on when it comes to asking for mercy or forgiveness. And, the gospel tells us that God does more than simply withhold the sentence your sin deserves… The Gospel also tells us that we receive eternal life. It’s more than you just get to live… God graciously gives you life eternal so that in Christ you will live and reign with God forever.

In the same way that the basis for mercy is love, and forgiveness is mercy, grace is rooted in the riches of his mercy and the greatness of His love… that means just like mercy and forgiveness grace is not earned or deserved by anyone.

There isn’t a sacrifice that you can make that will earn God’s love and favor. In David’s time this true for his sin. There isn’t an acceptable sacrifice for adulterers in the OT. They have no sacrifice they can bring before God to atone for their mistakes… and that was the situation that David was sitting in, which is why he cried out to God and appealed to God’s love rather than his own efforts or offerings.

And, the same is true for us. There isn’t an offering you can bring or a sacrifice you can make that is big enough to justify forgiveness and grace. The only thing sinners can do is put themselves in a posture to trust in God’s mercy, love, and grace.

Toward the end of the Psalm David writes and says,

Psalm 51:15–17 (ESV)

15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The only thing you can bring to God that he will not despise or turn away is brokenness; and brokenness is the one thing people try to fix on their own before they get right with God.

You cannot bring God your perfection and be accepted.

You can bring God your generosity and be received.

You can’t bring your strength, your determination, or even your best efforts…

The only thing you bring to God is the confession of your sin and contrition in your heart for who you are and what you have done…

No matter how much you try and cover up the stench and stain of sin, you cannot do enough to change God’s response to sin.

But, like David you can come with contrition, humility, and brokenness over your sin and find mercy, forgiveness, and grace.

God gives grace to the humble but he is opposed to the proud.

God loves you and His mercy and forgiveness are available to everyone in a covenant relationship Him through Jesus.

Will you surrender to Him and follow Him by faith for salvation and with your life by what He has said and done?

So, what do we do when we are far off from God. How do we respond to God when there is sin in our life? What do we do when the path we have chosen is the rebellious and destructive path of self centeredness and sin? Repent and be restored.

The basis of your turning to God is his abundant mercy and His steadfast love.

The foundation of your life, including your repentance, is faith in Christ

The result of your repentance is forgiveness, restoration, and the pursuit of God’s good design

Options for response

Reflection on God, you, Christ, and response Change in trajectory? Leaving here in a more godward direction than you came. Complete surrender of your life and salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.