WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I SIN?: Psalm 51

DOCTRINE: When you sin you should i) cry out to God for mercy, ii) petition God for forgiveness, iii) confess to God your sin, iv) petition God for sanctification, v) resolve to walk in new ways of holiness, vi) labor to get a broken spirit, and vii) petition God not to hinder the church, but to promote it’s witness and worship.

I. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD CRY OUT TO GOD FOR MERCY (Psalm 51:1a). There are three basic ways people respond when they are convicted of sin. Some cling to their merit, thinking their good outweighs the bad, like the Pharisee in Luke 18; others wallow in their misery, thinking being very sorry or self-deprecating for their sin will make God or others feel sorry for them and forgive them, like the pig who not only lives near the mud but wallows in it; still others look to Jesus Christ in faith, crying out to God for mercy, like the Tax Collector in Luke 18. We must be like this last person, crying out to God for mercy in Christ's name.

II. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD PETITION GOD FOR FORGIVENESS (Psalm 51:1b-2).

III. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD CONFESS TO GOD YOUR SIN (Psalm 51:3-6). I) In confession of sin, you need to acknowledge you have sinned (Psalm 51:3). II) In confession of sin, you need to acknowledge you have sinned ultimately against God himself (Psalm 51:4a). III) In confession of sin, you need to acknowledge God is just in all of his judgements against sin (Psalm 51:4b). IV) In confession of sin, you need to acknowledge your original sin (Psalm 51:5). V) In confession of sin, you need to acknowledge you have sinned against God’s grace (Psalm 51:6). When you sin, you have three options when it comes to confession. You can belittle your sin like the Pharisees, blame-shift your sin like Adam, or beg God’s mercy by acknowledging your sin like David.

IV. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD PETITION GOD FOR SANCTIFICATION (Psalm 51:7-12).

V. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD RESOLVE TO WALK IN NEW WAYS OF HOLINESS (Psalm 51:13-15). This is what repentance looks like. Thomas Watson, in his book The Doctrine of Repentance, lays out what repentance truly begins with, includes, and concludes with. i) Repentance begins with Sight of Sin. ii) Repentance includes Sorrow for Sin. iii) Repentance includes Confession of Sin. iv) Repentance includes Shame for Sin. v) Repentance includes Hatred for Sin. vi) Repentance concludes with Turning from Sin. I encourage you all to read this book when you are able.

VI. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD LABOR TO GET A BROKEN SPIRIT AND A CONTRITE HEART FOR YOUR SIN (Psalm 51:16-17).

VII. WHEN YOU SIN, YOU SHOULD PETITION GOD NOT TO HINDER THE CHURCH, BUT TO PROMOTE IT’S WITNESS AND WORSHIP (Psalm 51:18-19).

CONCLUSION. There are basically two kinds of people who have heard this sermon: One who does not care, and one who does. Which are you?
You who do not care to cry out to God for mercy and petition God for forgiveness; you who do not care to confess to God your sin and petition God for sanctification; you who are indifferent toward resolving to walk in new ways of holiness and laboring to get a broken spirit; you who do not care to petition God not to hinder the church, but to promote it’s witness and worship, see how miserable your condition is. You are dead in sin. You need to be born again. May God give you life right now, so that you would look at Christ, crying out to God for mercy and forgiveness!
You who do care to respond to your own sin by crying out to God for mercy, and all the things that follow, consider 1 John 1:8–2:2 to conclude. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”