Ten Characteristics Of Truly Penitent Prayer

How does a Christian recover from great sin, even all lesser sins?

Surely, each situation is going to have a variety of unique factors to consider.  Our sin can be simple, but also relatively complex necessitating thoughtful spiritual strategies.

Our Ever Present Need

Since our hearts and minds can be deceitful, and because we can be deceived so easily by the world and the devil, we need to ask, “What does truly penitent prayer that finds mercy with God look like?”

You may not be in a position of great sinfulness today, but it is likely that you have been in the past to some degree, or that some brother or sister will need your help, or that you will soon encounter temptations and falter or fail, or that you need renewal in your appreciation of the Gospel of Christ, or that you might just need to recognize that some lesser sins need some attention.

A Psalm Of (Ab)solution

Psalm 51 guides us through praying our prayers of confession, and encourages us:  God will have mercy upon the truly penitent believer.

     “To the choirmaster.  A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
     “1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
“7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
“13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.”

Ten Characteristics Of Truly Penitent Prayer

1. It pleads for forgiveness and cleansing and does not presume upon God’s mercy. (vv.1-2, 9)

2. It sees sin for what it is and oneself for who one really is, taking responsibility, making no excuses. (vv.3-6)

3. It does not argue with God, to whom one is accountable, but accepts full chastisement from all of His Word. (v.4)

4. It hopes in the power of God to completely forgive and to thoroughly wash clean. (vv.7-8)

5. It seeks a transformational change in one’s heart and empowerment to be more holy. (vv.10-12)

6. It longs for the return of joy in one’s life, in one’s worship, and in one’s ministry. (vv.8, 12, 13-15)

7. It does whatever it takes to get right with God and His People. (vv.16-19)

8. It looks to Jesus Christ as one’s Savior in faith and repentance yet again, and takes hold of all in Him. (vv.1-2, 7-9, 10-12, 16-17, 19)

9. It finds mercy and renewal by the Holy Spirit, the promise of all good gifts of grace. (vv.10-12)

10. It maintains a new humility and hope in walking with the Lord. (vv.16-17)

Jesus Is The Way

Psalm 51 humbles all of us before God, and it is also a very strong encouragement to us as sinners to come to Christ Jesus, and to stay close to Christ--for fullness of joy and increasing holiness.

It is so heartening to know that there is a way back to God, isn’t it?  Proverbs 28:13 states, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”