Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

April 7– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.” 

—Psalm 51:14

In this solemn confession, it is good to see that David plainly names his sin. He does not call it manslaughter, nor speak of it as a mistake by which an unfortunate accident occurred to a worthy man, but he calls it by its true name: bloodguiltiness. He did not kill the husband of Bathsheba himself, but he planned in his heart to cause Uriah’s death; therefore, he was, in the sight of God, guilty. Learn in confession to be honest with God. Do not give fair names to foul sins. Call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter. Learn to see them as God sees them. With all openness of heart, acknowledge their real character.

Notice that David was tormented with the heinousness of his sin. It is easy to use words, but it is difficult to feel their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the portrait of a contrite spirit. Let us seek after a heart like this— one that is broken by the things that break God’s heart. However excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.

David addressed his prayer to the God of salvation. It is God’s prerogative to forgive. It is his very name and office to save those who seek his face. And he is called “the God of my salvation.” As I myself go to him through the covering and cleansing blood of Jesus, I can rejoice that God has saved me.

David ends his prayer with a commendable vow. If God will deliver him, he will sing God’s praise. Who could keep from singing after receiving such mercy! And note the subject of the song: it is God’s righteousness. We must sing of the finished work of a precious Savior— of righteousness provided for us through Christ. The one who knows most of the forgiving love of God will sing the loudest. [M&E]