Ps 51 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. What does David point to when he is confessing his sin? He points to his redeemed self? Does David say that he is responsible for knowing truth? No he says that God teaches wisdom. This Ps is given to us by the Holy Spirit in order to practice christian repentance. He acknowledges that he sinned against God. Then he purposely takes the focus of of himself by making brave demands. He could have made some resolutions. But the rest of the Psalm is asking God to repair his sin. How can he be so demanding when he violated the law of God? Why not just say i will avoid that sin? David is asking God to give him the ability from experiencing being clean. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop,wash me, Why not I know sin brings sorrow? Let me hear joy and gladness If your the offender you cant ask someone to make you happy. Completely dependent repentance!9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. I thought God disciplined David with a life of family struggles. But here he is asking God to erase the memory.10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." People say if you memorize these prayers and pray them to repentant it is not genuine. But that is false. David could have given God a list of things he would do to change. But he has the gull to ask God to create a pure heart. Now if the words of the prayer were not for repeating then why would the Psalmist write repentance with creative words? Because repentance really is changing us by recreation!11 Do not cast me from your presence take your Holy Spirit from me.David had traitors put to death for the same sins! Yet he has the mustard to pray that God would not take the seal of the king. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. I thought there was no reason to be confident if we did not turn from the sin. But there is no promise in Psalm 51. Instead he has the gull to ask God to create the will to turn from sin. hmmmmmm 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,and sinners will turn back to you. After David raddles off a bunch of demands he says that if God does these things then he will be an example of repentance to others. WOW 15 O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. This is amazing right here. David says God does not want his attempts to make it right! David is cursing the self righteous by telling God that he will continue to focus on pronouncing the axioms. He is a true prophet. He is arguing for the covenant and holding the self righteous responsible for the crimes. OUCH 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then he prays if God accepts his meditation then the city will turn to God.