More Than Forgiveness (Psalm 51:10)

A Verse

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

A Comment

In commenting on Psalm 51, Dr. Jim Hamilton wrote, “If God’s standard cannot be changed, the man who would enjoy God’s holiness must be. This is why David prays as he does in the following verses. David desires more than forgiveness in this psalm. He prays to be transformed into a man who loves holiness and acts on that love.”¹

As I reflect on this Psalm specifically and the Christian life more generally, I believe this is an important observation. When God mercifully reveals our sinfulness, we, as Christians, should not only pray for forgiveness (as Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:12) but also for an inward renewal —a transformation of the heart that results in holy living and the restoration of the “joy of our salvation” (Psalm 51:12).

A Prayer

Would you join me in praying the truths of this passage today?

A Blessing

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

1. James M. Hamilton Jr., Psalms, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger, vol. 1 of Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 509.