Psalm 51 is attributed to King David, one of the greatest of ancient Israel’s kings. You can find his story in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. He started life as a shepherd boy, but God anointed him to be King over His people. David was noted as a man after God’s own heart. God was with David as the young shepherd defended his father’s flocks from lions and bears. God’s Spirit flowed through David as he killed the Philistine named Goliath, a huge and mighty warrior, who was taunting Israel’s armies. God walked with David during dark years when he was hunted by Israel’s King Saul who hated David for his popularity with the people of Israel and his success in battle. God was faithful to David and eventually made David king of Israel. David possessed a strong faith, but like us he was human, so his heart contained evil.     

One day, David was at home at his palace while his army was away campaigning against Israel’s enemies.  As evening fell that day, David walked on the top floor of his palace and saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba bathing at a nearby house. David sent messengers to bring the woman to him and he slept with her. Bathsheba could not say no to her king. In our day, this would be considered rape. David’s sin did not stop there but eventually it resulted in David ordering the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, a loyal soldier of Israel. A prophet of God named Nathan confronted David with his sin and David realized that he had not only sinned against Bathsheba and her husband but against God as well. Psalm 51 is David’s cry of despair and prayer for forgiveness, “Create in me a pure heart, O God.”