Psalm 51 is David’s prayer after Nathan exposed his sin. The lesson places it beside John the Baptist’s powerful call to bear fruit worthy of repentance, and beside the story of King David, a man after God’s own heart who fell and was rebuked in 2 Samuel 12. David does not excuse himself. He appeals to God’s lovingkindness, confesses that he sinned against God and God alone, and admits he was brought forth in iniquity.
He asks to be purged, washed and made whiter than snow, and prays that God would create in him a clean heart and restore the joy of His salvation. The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and in the Lord’s Prayer we still ask, forgive us our sins.