Oh wretched man that I am, why would God forgive me. King David certainly could have asked the same thing when he was confronted of his adultery, murder, theft, lying, and pride. But rather than wallowing in his sin, shame, and self pity, in Psalm 51 David prays a powerful prayer seeking forgiveness. He begins with asking for clemency by appealing to God’s lovingkindness. Vs. 1a Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness. And then proceeds to remind God he has a storehouse full of mercy. Vs. 1b “according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies.” He continues in prayer and asks for God to cover his sins. Vs. 1c “blot out my transgressions.” My name can never be blotted out from the Lamb’s book of life, but praise God my sins are blotted out I know. And when God blots my sins out he doesn’t leave me nameless, naked, and ashamed but instead gives me a robe of righteousness. When David prayed, God gave him clemency, covered and clothed him, and cleansed him. The cleansing that God does isn’t just a scrub behind the ears but he throughly cleanses. Vs. 2 “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” he prayed. God cleansed that bloody, filthy, scarlet sin and washed him and made him whiter than snow. So, you ask. Why would God forgive me? Because you, as David did in verse 3, acknowledged your transgressions and he is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrightesouness.
