The Sacrifice God Wants

The Sacrifice God Wants

Text: Psalm 51:17 (NLT & Amplified)

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

Psalm 51:17 (AMP) 17 My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.

Introduction

Family, let me ask you a question: Have you ever messed up so badly that you thought God was done with you? Maybe you felt unworthy to pray, unworthy to worship, unworthy to be here in His house.

David knew that feeling. Psalm 51 was his cry after the lowest moment of his life. But in this one verse, he shows us what God really desires: not perfection, not performance, but brokenness.

I. Repentance Is a Sacrifice

Repentance is not cheap—it costs us something.

David says, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.” He realized repentance is worship.

Not the kind that makes us look holy to others, but the kind that lays us bare before God.

You can’t hold on to pride and repent at the same time.

God isn’t looking for a polished version of you; He’s looking for the surrendered version of you.

Hosea 6:6 “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”

II. What Is a Broken Spirit?

A broken spirit is not weakness—it’s surrender.

It’s when your ego cracks, when your excuses shatter, when you say, “Lord, I need You.”

Contrite means humbled and honest—no spin, no filters, just truth before God.

Hear me: God can fix what’s broken, but He won’t fix what we pretend isn’t broken.

Illustration idea: A jar of clay—it has to break for the light inside to shine through.

Isaiah 57:15 “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.”

III. God Will Not Reject a Repentant Heart

This is the good news: God never turns away a repentant heart.

Saul lost the kingdom because he covered his sin. David kept the kingdom because he confessed his sin.

The Father is always ready to run toward His prodigal sons and daughters.

The devil wants you to think you’ve gone too far. But the cross says you can always come back.

When you bring God your worst, He gives you His best.

1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Conclusion

Family, hear me—God is not asking you to perform, He’s asking you to repent. He’s not asking you to fake it, He’s asking you to break before Him. That’s the sacrifice He will never reject.

Call to Action: Today, don’t hold back. Bring your brokenness to the altar. Lay your heart down, and watch how God restores what was shattered.

Isaiah 66:2 “My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.”