Journey Through Psalms

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭

In Old Testament times if someone wanted to demonstrate repentance and sorrow over their sin, they would give a sacrifice burnt and or publicly tear their clothes and go into ashes. Realizing that these had become empty rituals in some instances David repented by offering to God a broken spirit and a contrite heart. 

We can understand the depth of David’s revelation of God by looking at verse 6 – “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part….. David’s attempt to hide His sin was futile because nothing is hidden from God. Remember a person who is truly repentant is not unmoved by their wrongdoing. When you realize that you have sinned against God, the only proper response is repentance, bringing a broken spirit and a contrite heart before God. He is just to forgive and make His grace abound.