Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

King David wrote Psalm 51 after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin with Bathsheba. In verse 10, the king pleads for God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within him.

The king realized that his sin was ultimately against God. He also realized that only God could create a clean heart within him and renew his spirit. As long as this sin remained unconfessed, the king was miserable. He knew that if he confessed this sin to God, God would restore his fellowship with the king by creating that new heart the king was asking for. 

What held true for King David holds true for you and me as well. When we sin, we sin against God. Sin harms our fellowship with God. Like King David, we need to have a clean heart created in us. The apostle John tells us in 1 John 1:9– If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  

When God creates that clean heart in us and renews a right spirit within us, our fellowship with God is restored. However, that is the only way our fellowship with God can be restored. 

This week, before we go about our daily activities, let us first take the initiative and confess our sins. Let’s not be like King David and wait for someone to confront us about our sin. A clean heart and renewed spirit are a great way to start each day.