“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:10-12)
David has already admitted in this confession that he has been sinful from birth. He’s not a guy who is “almost good” and just needs a little nudge to get him over the hill. These terrible sins are not the exception, after all. They have only revealed who he really is.
That’s what brings David to the words in today’s passage. If he’s going to be any different tomorrow — if he’s going to really change — God is the one who will have to change him.
God will have to make his heart pure and his spirit strong. God will have to keep David close and keep the Holy Spirit with him. And God will have to change David’s attitude about doing right from feeling like a chore to feeling like a real celebration—transforming his obedience from grudging, forced choices into a natural and sustainable lifestyle of joyfully walking with God.
Here’s the good news: God has promised to do all of that for those of us who have trusted in Jesus. You can ask Him, too. It’s what He wants to give to you.
Think: Do the things David asks for in this passage describe your life? If not, what are you missing and why do you think you’re missing it?
Pray: Pray these verses with David to the extent that they apply to you.
Do: Write it down: On a scale from 1 to 10, how much joy have you felt in your life, lately? Look up Romans 15:13 and use that verse to ask God for more joy and hope and peace as you trust in Him.