LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 51:15-17, Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare Your praise. 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.

Psalm 51 has been thought to be written after Nathan the prophet had confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba (David Jeremiah Study Bible). David wrote that his sin(s) had kept him from offering genuine praise to God. Isaiah 29:13 tells us, “The Lord says: "These people come near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” “God’s people were coming before Him in prayer, worship, song, and praise even though their hearts were not committed to Him or His Word. They acted as if God’s revelation and His righteous standards were not obligatory. Instead of cherishing God and His Word, they filled their lives with the religious rituals and traditions taught by their leaders and lived for themselves” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible). I do not want that to be a description of Believers today; I fear it is, however.

Hebrews 10:4, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” The sacrifice of animals was symbolic of the new covenant to come. The sacrifice of animals did not fix the internal problem of sin; God’s promise of a new covenant that He would write on the hearts and minds of His people would correct this. These physical rituals were meant to show people their need for a perfect sacrifice that would be a permanent and personal cleansing from sin. The joy of the knowledge of the salvation Jesus Christ brings through His sacrifice is expressed through our heartfelt gratitude and praise to Him.

The service a Believer offers to God, the works they do for Him are done from a heart filled with His praise. Anything done with a heart filled with rebellion toward Him is worthless. “You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.” In Matthew 15:7-9, Jesus applies what the Lord said about the religious leaders of Isaiah’s day to the Pharisees – Jesus called the hypocrites to their face because they were practicing traditions before applying God’s actual commands. Jesus told the Pharisees they were only going through the motions of religion, saying all the right things at the right times. However, they were not committed to God in their hearts. In verse 9, Jesus completes the quote from Isaiah by saying the Pharisees’ worship of God was meaningless. It had no meaning because they were teaching their own traditions and doctrines of men.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their insincere worship. He told them the outward appearances and practices did not reflect the true condition of their heart. He told them that true worship comes from a genuine and sincere heart, not by going through religious motions. It is good for every Believer to evaluate their worship and be sure it is coming from a place of authenticity and love for God.

In Psalm 51:10 David wrote, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” That should be our prayer as well!