Pastors Pen
“The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). This comes from one of the penitential psalms found in the psalter. It is attributed to King David as the prayer he makes to God after his infamous sin with Bathsheba and his killing of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. David could have acted as if there was nothing wrong with his actions, even though those actions broke up a marriage and led to the killing of one of David’s best and most loyal soldiers. He’s the one with the power and he can do what he wants. Through the help of the prophet Nathan, he realizes that he has done wrong, and it cracks his pride, leaving him with a broken spirit, one that is open to correction and open to the healing action of God.