123. PSA 51:17. THE HEART WHICH GOD WILL NOT DESPISE

Psa_51:17. The Heart Which God Will Not Despise

"A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."’97Psa_51:17.

This Psa. presents a fine and interesting specimen of the experience of a soul truly awakened to a sense of his sin and misery, and really solicitous to enjoy pardon, and the favor of God. What a free and full confession of sin is made; ver. 6. What earnest supplications for the renewing influences of divine grace; ver. 6-10. And how divine abandonment is deprecated; ver 11. And what resolutions to honor God, and to declare his goodness, are formed; ver. 13. And at last, as if some ray of heavenly light had broken in upon his comfortless mind, he expresses the confidential language of the text, "A broken and a contrite heart," &c. We shall,

I. Endeavor to describe the Broken and Contrite Heart.

The brokenness of heart specified in the text is of a spiritual kind. Many are so through the losses, and sorrows, and afflictions of this life. Sorrow of the world worketh death, in a religious and spiritual sense. A broken and contrite heart is,

1. Thoroughly convinced of sin.

Many verbally acknowledge themselves sinners, who do not feel, really and deeply feel, their fallen and miserable state before God. How necessary to know the plague of our hearts! How necessary to have a right discernment of our depravity, wretchedness, and danger! A broken and a contrite heart,

2. Feels deeply affected, as well as thoroughly convinced of sin.

Heart melted down. Soul dissolved before God. The native callousness and obduracy of spirit removed. A keen sensibility of heart arising from the baseness of Our sins, in having grieved the best of beings. Holy compunction of soul. Genuine sorrow and grief of spirit.

A broken heart is,

3. Deeply humbled before God.

Self-importance relinquished’97soul in sackcloth and ashes’97God greatly feared’97self-abhorred, loathed, &c.

A broken and contrite heart,

4. Will make a free and hearty confession of sin.

Look at the preceding part of this psalm. Look at the publican,’97the prodigal, &c. A broken and contrite heart will,

5. Earnestly seek and supplicate deliverance.

Behold this in Manasseh. See also vers. 9-12. The three thousand brokenhearted Jews were truly anxious what they should do. So Saul. So the jailer. So of every truly contrite soul, it will be said, "Behold, he prayeth." Let us, then,

II. Encourage the Broken and Contrite Heart.

"A broken and contrite heart God will not despise" No, he will look upon it with pity, with compassion; he will condescend to hear its groans’97to listen to its cries’97to heal the broken in heart. He will turn sorrow into joy’97night into day. He will save’97he will rejoice over it with singing, &c.

We may rest assured, that he will thus treat the broken and contrite heart,

1. From a reference to the divine perfections.

The Lord is good. God is love. Merciful, gracious, abundant in goodness and truth. Full of compassion’97of great pity’97who delighteth in mercy’97whose bowels yearn with tender regard over his miserable creatures.

2. From a reference to divine declarations.

See Psa_34:18; Isa_1:18; Isa_57:15, and Isa_66:2; Mat_11:28.

3. By a reference to the divine conduct towards those of a broken and a contrite heart.

Manasseh’97David’97publican’97woman that was a sinner’97Zaccheus’97publicans and sinners, in Christ’s time’97thief upon the cross’97three thousand in Jerusalem’97Saul of Tarsus’97the Corinthians, &c. Never has there been one instance where the text has not been verified’97never a single exception to the truth, that a broken and contrite heart, &c.

4. By a reference to divine arrangements.

Wherefore, if the text is not true, did God devise the scheme of reconciliation? Wherefore did God send his Son’97word’97Spirit’97heralds? Wherefore appoint sabbaths and ordinances? All these are testimonies of his strong love, of his sincere regard for us, and corroborate the truth of the text, "A broken and a contrite heart," &c. Be assured, then, by all that is blessed in the divine perfections’97by all that is true in the divine declarations’97by all that is illustriously merciful in the divine conduct’97and by all that is benevolent, and tender, and consistent in the divine arrangements, that "a broken and contrite heart God will not despise."

Let us then,

III. Direct the Broken and Contrite in Heart.

1. Let all sin be abandoned.

He says, Turn ye from your evil ways, and live. Let the wicked forsake his way, &c.

2 Humbly wait upon God He exhorts you to draw nigh to him’97to call upon him, &c.; Psa. ist did this; Psa_40:1, &c.

3. Heartily and entirely rest upon the person and merits of his Son for acceptance.

Christ is the only way of access. His blood, the only ground. His name, the only plea.

4. Put on Jesus Christ before men, and be his decided and avowed disciples.

If any man will be my disciple, let him come after me, and take up his cross and follow me.

Application

1. The proud, ignorant, and unbelieving in heart must perish. 2. Let the subject lead the indifferent to consideration and seriousness. 3. Let the humble and contrite hope in God, and seek and obtain mercy.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS