Daily Worship

Sexual sin

Peter Neilson March 02, 2017 0 0

Psalm 51:1-17

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse 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 you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Saviour,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

Lord, this is a time to be specific.

Sexual sin – that was David’s agony.

 

We lament the unacknowledged damage

of our sex-saturated society.

 

Sexual fantasies fed and fuelled.

Temptation all too easy.

Young lives abused

Long shadows lingering over the years.

 

Lord, have mercy on us,

according to your unfailing love.

According to your great compassion

Wash us and cleanse us, 

As a nation and as individuals.

 

Lord, I admire David’s brutal honesty

sensing the pain of sin cutting into your heart

and the desire of Your heart

to make us truthful with ourselves

and with You.

 

Lord, today, I confess......

[name any sexual sin present or past]

 

Lord, I want to be clean.

I want that pure heart.

I need that steadfast spirit.

I long for your Holy Spirit.

I want to know joy again.

 

Lord, grant me that willing spirit.

[Name your desire for character change.]

 

“A broken and contrite heart, 

O God, you will not despise.”

 

The Living Son of David speaks:

“My son, my daughter, 

your sins are forgiven you.

Go in peace.” AMEN