Right Reading -

I was recently asked for thoughts on a God-honoring way of reading Psalm 51. It is interesting to think of this or any other Scripture as being susceptible to error in the "way" that we read, but God's Word is often mis-read, mis-interpreted, and mis-applied. Let us always endeavor to read His Word with a heart to glorify Him according to His desires.

Here are some thoughts on Psalm 51:

God is honored when we are reminded through the Psalm that our sin is a stench in His nostrils and that the only way we have fellowship with Him and escape His eternal, righteous judgment is through the washing thoroughly from our iniquity by Christ's blood. The Psalm reminds us that we were born at enmity with God and that our best efforts at pleasing Him are tainted with sin, except for that sacrificial covering provided by the perfect Lamb, our Brother through adoption. The Psalm reminds us that though we are unable to live in complete sanctification on this side of Heaven, we do strive diligently through faith in Christ and desire a clean heart, a steadfast spirit, joy in salvation, praising lips, and a repentant heart. We're reminded that God does not delight in us because of sacrificial rituals, but rather because of our identity in Christ by faith and repentance.

It is regrettable that there are two ways of going off the mark here. Some would go to one extreme of the passage and fail to recognize the significance of Christ's cleansing blood. Some would go to the other extreme of the passage and fail to recognize the weight of sin and the need to repent.