Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. David and other Old Testament saints knew well that it was not in ceremonial observances, but in spiritual service. I. GOD'S DESIRE AND SEARCH IS AFTER THE HEART, the soul of man. Our human parental heart teaches us this. Do we not desire our children's hearts? And so with God; He wants His children back, and hence He so values the first returning relenting thought. II. WHEREFORE THIS IS SO. All men are sinners, not in the same form, but in the possession of the heart of evil. But see the great change which is wrought when the soul is turned to God. God is revealed to the soul. Conviction of sin follows. We see our sin in the light of God's goodness, and the vision of that goodness now waiting to be gracious, still further subdues the heart. III. THIS NEW STATE OF HEART WILL BE PERMANENT, and will be seen in trust, in humility, in thankfulness, in consecration. (Watson Smith.) Parallel Verses KJV: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.WEB: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. |
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