Psalm 51:9

Psalm 51:9

Hide Your face from my sins

Earlier, in verse 3, David confessed that, such is the depth of his sinfulness and the ramifications of his behaviour that he just cannot let it go; “My sin is always before me.” The sour taste of his exploits lingers and there is barely a moment passes and his troubled soul relives his failure and the implications of it. Such is the awfulness of his plight that he now appeals to the Lord God to look away from him, “Hide Your face, don’t look upon me and see me in this wretched state.” I’m not sure if David is saying, “Don’t look at me I am so tainted and dirty,” or, if is He saying, “I know how awful my sins are so please hide Your face from them but do not ignore me. Please!” It is a good moment to remember that such was the burden of our sin, taken by the Lord Jesus at the cross, that God His Father had to look away and hide His face. “My God, My God. Why have You forsaken me,” came the plaintive cry.

In verse 1 we reflected on the Charge Sheet of accusations that was levelled against David, an appalling list of wilful transgressions against God’s laws. In any Courtroom he would have to plead guilty and take his punishment, but the accused still has one final plea. “Blot out all my iniquity!” Some might think that David has a bit of a cheek, to dare to ask a holy God, whose standards are perfection, to just wipe out the list of indictments. But he dares to ask because he knows the grace and mercy of the Lord who can cover all sin and forgive all sinners who confess and repent. That is our God and there is nothing He cannot blot from our Charge Sheet either. David’s God is my God. Hallelujah!

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