Here are a few lessons Psalm 51 teaches us about God:

• He is just in His judgments.

• Our sins our before Him and against Him.

• He breaks our bones and convicts us of sin.

• Then He restores us so we can rejoice in our salvation.

• His mercy is abundant.

• His love is steady and enduring.

• He alone can cleanse our sin and create new hearts in us.

• When we sin, He is not pleased with our efforts to “make up for it.” Rather, He is pleased to forgive, cleanse, and restore the one who is humble and broken, and who cries to Him alone for mercy.

“Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (v. 4).
And to you, you only do I turn for forgiveness.

Against a holy and just God do we sin. And to that same God we run for mercy and cleansing. Only God. Nothing else.

Only God.