Psalm 51:1-19 (ESV)
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
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 my 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. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

For the next two weeks, we are talking about renewing our walk with God. From David’s prayer in Psalm 51, we can learn many things about what it means to renew our walk with God.

I. RENEWAL COMES WHEN WE CONFESS OUR SIN TO GOD (1-3)
Never once did David blame his sin on Bathsheba. The transgressions, iniquities, and sins to which David referred in this psalm are “MY” transgressions, iniquities, and sins.

II. RENEWAL COMES WHEN WE CONFESS THAT WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST GOD (v. 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.”

III. RENEWAL COMES WHEN WE ADMIT THAT OUR SIN HAS SEPARATED US FROM GOD (v. 3).
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”

IV. RENEWAL COMES WHEN WE ADMIT THAT GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN FORGIVE US OF OUR SIN (vv.1-2)
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 my sin!

V. RENEWAL COMES WHEN WE REALIZE THAT GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS THOROUGH AND COMPLETE (v 7)
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

David was not asking God to merely wink at what he had done. He wanted all the forgiveness God had to offer. That’s why David further pleaded: “Purge me.” The word is derived from the word for “sin,” so David was praying that God would “de-sin” him.

That David was praying for a complete purging and renewal in his spirit is seen in his request that God purge him with “hyssop.” This vivid figure of speech recalled the small, aromatic plant used in Jewish ceremonies for cleansing from leprosy.

When God cleanses a man, he is really clean!
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

David was ruthless in the description of his sin and just as descriptive of the wonderful grace of God in restoration and renewal.

Next week, we are going to look at this wonderful description of what happens when we live in God’s restoration and renewal. And it begins with joy and gladness returning to our lives.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

CONCLUSION
David told us why he personally needed renewal and how he received it. If we would obtain renewal today, we must walk the same road as David.

Renewal comes when:
We confess our sin to God
We confess that we have sinned against God
We acknowledge that we are separated from God by sin
We acknowledge that God can forgive our sin
We allow God to cleanse us thoroughly and completely.

An old song by Keith Green expresses how many of us have cried out to our Lord.

My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold.
And I know what I ought to be,
Alive to you and dead to me.

Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine?
Soften it up with oil and wine.
The oil is you, your spirit of love.
Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood.