Remorse and repentance

For the full context of this post read Psalm 6 and Romans 7: 14 - 16.

Ever find yourself doing the things you do not want to do? If so, you are in good company! The apostle Paul felt that way and so did the Psalmist David. Paul wrote in Romans that “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15, NIV). David penned the following prayer:

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;

heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in deep anguish.

How long, Lord, how long?

4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;

save me because of your unfailing love.

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.

Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;

they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,

for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;

they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

(Psalm 6: 1- 10, NIV)

Remorse over sin is a precursor for repentance of sin. David provided a sense of heightened emotions and a magnified view of the heart, but in doing so he also provided a picture of remorse over sin and repentance for it. David was worn out from groaning. He was faint, in agony, weak, and in deep anguish. His bed was flooded from his weeping and his couch drenched with tears. David showed remorse for his sin.

David demonstrated repentance for his sin. He pleaded with God not to rebuke him in anger or discipline him with wrath while begging God to have mercy on him. In his repentance David asked God to do three things:

1. David asked God to turn away his anger from him,

2. David asked God to deliver him, and

3. David asked God to save him with his unfailing love.

The Lord heard David’s cry for mercy and accepted his prayer.

The next time I find myself doing the things I hate, I want to follow David’s lead. I want to show true remorse for my sin, and I want to be able to pray a prayer of repentance that God would turn his anger from me, deliver me, and save me with his unfailing love. In that spirit of remorse and repentance, I know that God will hear my cry for mercy and accept my prayer.