1 00:00:10,210 --> 00:00:14,350 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming 2 00:00:14,430 --> 00:00:18,910 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:19,370 --> 00:00:21,890 Speaker 1: with God's word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:24,930 --> 00:00:27,930 Speaker 1: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:28,110 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: on tonight's scripture and Psalm chapter 51. Tonight's scripture reflection 6 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: is written by Christine Brown and read by Carrie Eichmurder. 7 00:00:47,260 --> 00:00:54,740 Speaker 1: Psalm chapter 51. Have mercy on me, O God, because 8 00:00:54,780 --> 00:00:59,460 Speaker 1: of your unfeeling love, because of your great compassion. Blot 9 00:00:59,620 --> 00:01:03,100 Speaker 1: out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from 10 00:01:03,140 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize 11 00:01:07,620 --> 00:01:11,810 Speaker 1: my rebellion. It haunts me day and night. Against you 12 00:01:11,930 --> 00:01:15,229 Speaker 1: and you alone have I sinned. I have done what 13 00:01:15,290 --> 00:01:18,490 Speaker 1: is evil in your sight. You will be proved right 14 00:01:18,630 --> 00:01:22,530 Speaker 1: in what you say. And your judgment against me is just. 15 00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:26,500 Speaker 1: For I was born a sinner. Yes, from the moment 16 00:01:26,540 --> 00:01:30,700 Speaker 1: my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, 17 00:01:31,340 --> 00:01:35,940 Speaker 1: teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, 18 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,580 Speaker 1: and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will 19 00:01:39,620 --> 00:01:43,580 Speaker 1: be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again. 20 00:01:44,410 --> 00:01:48,850 Speaker 1: You have broken me. Now let me rejoice. Don't keep 21 00:01:48,890 --> 00:01:52,230 Speaker 1: looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 22 00:01:53,090 --> 00:01:56,970 Speaker 1: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a 23 00:01:57,050 --> 00:02:01,180 Speaker 1: loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, 24 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,220 Speaker 1: and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to 25 00:02:05,260 --> 00:02:08,410 Speaker 1: me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing 26 00:02:08,470 --> 00:02:12,310 Speaker 1: to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, 27 00:02:12,970 --> 00:02:16,669 Speaker 1: and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, 28 00:02:16,770 --> 00:02:20,070 Speaker 1: O God who saves. Then I will joyfully sing of 29 00:02:20,090 --> 00:02:24,530 Speaker 1: your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth 30 00:02:24,570 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice. or 31 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 32 00:02:32,860 --> 00:02:36,650 Speaker 1: The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will 33 00:02:36,669 --> 00:02:40,410 Speaker 1: not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look 34 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:43,889 Speaker 1: with favor on Zion and help her. Rebuild the walls 35 00:02:43,930 --> 00:02:47,950 Speaker 1: of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered 36 00:02:47,990 --> 00:02:51,850 Speaker 1: in the right spirit, with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. 37 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:59,889 Speaker 1: Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. Reflecting 38 00:02:59,970 --> 00:03:03,310 Speaker 1: on the day can often bring regret over the ways 39 00:03:03,389 --> 00:03:07,070 Speaker 1: we fell short. When we think about words we said 40 00:03:07,130 --> 00:03:10,940 Speaker 1: or things we did that didn't show godly character, we 41 00:03:10,970 --> 00:03:15,660 Speaker 1: may wish we could rewind and start over. Psalm 51 42 00:03:15,660 --> 00:03:18,839 Speaker 1: offers hope for those days when we feel like we've 43 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:23,500 Speaker 1: messed up. The psalmist David sought forgiveness for a wrong 44 00:03:23,540 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: he had committed. Rather than passing blame on to someone 45 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: else or making excuses, David turned to God with both 46 00:03:31,660 --> 00:03:37,470 Speaker 1: repentance and respect. David recognized how he had rebelled against God. 47 00:03:38,330 --> 00:03:42,550 Speaker 1: We all fall short at times. Romans 3.23 tells us, 48 00:03:43,050 --> 00:03:46,370 Speaker 1: For everyone has sinned. We all fall short of God's 49 00:03:46,410 --> 00:03:50,090 Speaker 1: glorious standard. But when we come to God with our 50 00:03:50,190 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: transgressions and talk to Him with honesty, we open the 51 00:03:54,380 --> 00:04:00,050 Speaker 1: door to receiving God's grace and forgiveness. David also acknowledged 52 00:04:00,430 --> 00:04:04,870 Speaker 1: God's power to purify him. He knew only God can 53 00:04:04,930 --> 00:04:09,550 Speaker 1: wash away sin, and when our Almighty God removes the 54 00:04:09,590 --> 00:04:14,890 Speaker 1: stain of guilt, our joy will be restored. David asked 55 00:04:14,930 --> 00:04:18,710 Speaker 1: for forgiveness, and no matter what the offense, we can 56 00:04:18,730 --> 00:04:22,549 Speaker 1: do the same. God wants us to bring our mess-ups 57 00:04:22,610 --> 00:04:28,180 Speaker 1: to Him. We are His handiwork. God's beautiful creation whom 58 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:33,490 Speaker 1: He loves and cherishes. Through every confession, we allow God 59 00:04:33,550 --> 00:04:37,089 Speaker 1: to work in us, to mold us into the person 60 00:04:37,150 --> 00:04:41,650 Speaker 1: He created us to be. So often, our shame over 61 00:04:41,730 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: wrongdoing can pull us into a pit of despair. But 62 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,740 Speaker 1: God does not want us to condemn ourselves. He wants 63 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: us to run to Him. We know that as we 64 00:04:54,100 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: seek His forgiveness, God will never reject a broken and 65 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:06,900 Speaker 1: repentant heart. Dear God, I am carrying guilt and regret 66 00:05:07,380 --> 00:05:10,460 Speaker 1: for the ways I've messed up, and I am crying 67 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,550 Speaker 1: out to you to ask for forgiveness. I repent of 68 00:05:14,610 --> 00:05:19,330 Speaker 1: my sins, Lord. Forgive me and cleanse my heart. Help 69 00:05:19,350 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: me release shame over my wrongdoing. You alone have the 70 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: power to remove the guilt of my sin and restore 71 00:05:27,020 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: my joy. Thank you for your mercy. You never give 72 00:05:31,310 --> 00:05:35,310 Speaker 1: up on me, and for that, I am grateful. Tomorrow 73 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,170 Speaker 1: is a new day, and I choose to learn from 74 00:05:38,210 --> 00:05:42,289 Speaker 1: my mistakes and face the morning with a renewed heart. 75 00:05:43,130 --> 00:05:48,350 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. How did tonight's scripture 76 00:05:48,390 --> 00:05:51,369 Speaker 1: speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly 77 00:05:51,410 --> 00:05:52,630 Speaker 1: Scripture Forum discussion. 78 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 79 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:11,220 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 80 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:17,170 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 81 00:06:17,230 --> 00:06:22,510 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following Your 82 00:06:22,589 --> 00:06:26,890 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be 83 00:06:26,990 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends today. centered on 84 00:06:31,140 --> 00:06:31,900 Speaker 2: the Word of God.