Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
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.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in my a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
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.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

~Psalm 51

How privileged we are to serve a God who is so loving, so full of compassion, that he is willing to overlook our darkness and see us as the beautiful beings that he created us to be. God offers this burden-lifting grace freely, and yet all to often we refuse to accept it. Whether it be pride, ignorance, guilt, fear; we allow these things to consume us and stifle the voice of our Savior, who has been saying all along, "My child, let me have it. I'll take care of it for you. Let me have it. Let. Me. Have. It."
Let us come before our God and lay our lives down at his feet. When we do this he will restore us. The God of the universe will gladly mend hurts and restore broken souls--all we have to do is ask.

Thank you, Jesus, for carrying the weight of our sins. Thank you for healing us, though truly we deserve death. Thank you for loving us enough to pull us out of the stormy waters when we faithlessly become afraid and cry out. Thank you that we will never have to face anything alone.

"You take my mourning,
and turn it into dancing.
You take my weeping,
and turn it into laughing.

You bring restoration,
You bring restoration,
You bring restoration,

To my soul."