Psalm 51 (Part I)

While many people would consider rewriting Scripture to be sac-religious or wrong in that man isn't capable of putting God's Words into his own, I consider rewriting to be a method of understanding and clarification.  If I can't rewrite it in my own words as it applies to me first, then how can I share it?  How will it be personal?  I have felt no internal condemnation in doing so, but am aware that many people, much more educated and spiritual minded than myself might be offended.  But since this is a mostly private blog ... so be it.

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

O God, do not give to me what I deserve for my sins, keep your wrath and judgment from me, and may the resistance to my destruction be because of Your love that will not fail.  My very existence depends completely upon Your love.  Lord, please forgive me my sins, wipe them from the book of my life so they will no longer be read by You.  My God, only You can cleanse this sin from me.

³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
⁶ Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

My sin is always on my mind and I cannot escape it! It is with me when I wake up and it is there when I fall to sleep and it is in the eyes of everyone I see. It haunts me, but no matter its torture of me, I am distressed because I have violated Your Word, Your Path, and have failed to listen to Your Voice. Only You know good from evil, only You can determine righteousness. My sin offends You first and You alone. Only You have the right to judge me and Your sentence is righteous.

I was conceived and born with this sin in my bones. But that is no excuse because You are a perfect God and through You all things are possible, even my perfection. You have desired faithfulness in You from my conception and You taught me this wisdom of faith in my soul.

(In addition to the sin being against God's Word, Path, and Voice, it is also against another child of God whom He loves.  And this is yet another way our sin is against God and God alone.)