Today's Psalm is a beautiful expression and demonstration of what true repentance looks like—an honest look at self, in the sight of the only living, holy, and awesome God.
In Psalm 51, King David pours out his heart to God Almighty; taking full responsibility for his sins against the Lord, Bathsheba, and her now deceased husband, Uriah. He makes no excuses. And he asks for nothing but God's forgiveness, knowing he is powerless to redeem himself.
King David was a mighty warrior. He was a man of valor. He was also very arrogant, an adulterer, plotter of evil, a murderer, a lackadaisical father. Essentially, he was a wretched sinner like the rest of us. But then why did God give him one of the greatest compliments by calling him a man after God's own heart? The heart of the Almighty does not murder, is not arrogant, lackadaisical in regards to His children, etc.? Why would God refer to King David as someone who chases hard after the LORD? My guess is because King David had a broken and contrite heart. Every time David was confronted with his sin, rather than make excuses or try to help others understand why he sinned, how he really didn't mean to do that, but what he really meant to say or do was...and so on; David humbly received rebuke. And David repented.
Whether in hardships or pleasantries, David delighted in praising the name of the LORD. May David's prayer in this Psalm, also be ours: That God would open our mouths to praise Him and that He would help us to walk in, and bear the fruit of repentance. For it is only a heart that is broken and contrite before the Lord, that He will never despise, but rather, He will always receive (Rom 10:13).
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