King David was a man after God's own heart. He was set aside and highly favored. After all, who wouldn't be favored as a descendant of our Savior, Jesus Christ? But David was not just a brave shepherd boy with a rock and a sling. He wasn't just a mighty King, victory in battle. No, he was also a dirty, rotten, scoundrel to put it lightly. He lusted after Bathsheba, plotted against her husband to get him killed on the battlefield, and of course committed adultery with this beautiful woman. No, King David was no saint. But what set apart David from other dirty, rotten, scoundrels, was his heart. He deeply lamented over his sin and turned to His Father for forgiveness. He pours out his heart in the Psalms.
Psalm 51:10-12
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away
from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy
salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit."
Here we see a man, drenched in sin, aching over his sin, suddenly, and completely covered and washed clean by grace. Only a Good God can do that. Now David still had to suffer the consequences of his actions, with the loss of his infant son. But through his repentance, God took something meant for evil and turned it for good, and eventually, blessed David with another son, Solomon, who would become most famous for his God-given wisdom.
I pray we all have a heart like David. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.
Create In Me a Clean Heart- by Keith Green-Jen Mozley vocal cover