[Faith-talk] Thinking about recent talks about guilt

[Poppa Bear]

I have been thinking about the comments about guilt on here and one person
talked about how unresolved guilt was not a good thing and I totally agree
with that and believe that the cross, the Gospel and the promises of Jesus
are the remedy for not only unresolved guilt, but all guilt, not minimizing,
burying, or blaming others, with the exception of guilt that was brought
upon somebody through manipulation and abuse. I was reading a psalm that
comes around the 21st day of the month in my reading and in this case it was
Psalm 51 and I was struck by how David is completely, unabashedly caught in
the claws of guilt, but rather than it being something that he simply needs
to get over, or get a pat on the back saying that he really didn't do
anything wrong, he embraces the full weight of his guilt and brings it
before God and I think that it is beautiful. Here it is, I have studied it
at one point verse by verse, even memorized it and I have also been in the
depths of my own sin and all I could do was cry out to God.

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to
him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when you speak

and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth,

sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts [

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will turn back to you.

14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God,

the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are [

a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;

build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices,

whole burnt offerings to delight you;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.