Day 5: Repentance and Renewal
Reading: Psalm 51:1-17
Psalm 51[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
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.
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.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
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.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Footnotes
[a]Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
[b]Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
Reading: Acts 8:18-24
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
Devotional:
Simon wanted God's power for personal gain, revealing a heart not right with God. Peter's response was direct: "Repent." Repentance isn't just feeling sorry—it's turning around and walking the other way. It's recognizing our sin, confessing it honestly, and choosing transformation. David's prayer in Psalm 51 is the heart cry of genuine repentance: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." We all have Simon moments—times when our motives are selfish, when we want God's blessings without surrendering to His lordship. But God's grace meets us in repentance. He doesn't just forgive; He renews. What area of your life needs a turnaround today? Bring it honestly before God, ask for His cleansing, and trust that He makes all things new.
Psalm 51[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
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.
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.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
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.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Footnotes
[a]Psalm 51:1 In Hebrew texts 51:1-19 is numbered 51:3-21.
[b]Psalm 51:17 Or The sacrifices of God are
Reading: Acts 8:18-24
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
Devotional:
Simon wanted God's power for personal gain, revealing a heart not right with God. Peter's response was direct: "Repent." Repentance isn't just feeling sorry—it's turning around and walking the other way. It's recognizing our sin, confessing it honestly, and choosing transformation. David's prayer in Psalm 51 is the heart cry of genuine repentance: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." We all have Simon moments—times when our motives are selfish, when we want God's blessings without surrendering to His lordship. But God's grace meets us in repentance. He doesn't just forgive; He renews. What area of your life needs a turnaround today? Bring it honestly before God, ask for His cleansing, and trust that He makes all things new.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
February
The Power of God's NameSurrendering To God's PlanDeclared InnocentWhat Is Truth?Evidence of His GoodnessIt Is FinishedThe Empty TombJesus AppearsBreathe and BelieveBlessed Are Those Who BelieveThe Invitation To FollowWhen Waiting Becomes WorshipThe Gift of Second ChancesFrom Darkness To LightThe Mission Of Love
March
From Disciple To ApostleThe Power Of The Holy SpiritWitnesses Of The ResurrectionSigns That Point To JesusMaking Discipleship Your Life MissionThe Cost Of DiscipleshipJesus or Jesus Plus?Get Behind Me SatanTrusting Jesus With EverythingHope Has A NameThe Identity ShiftThe Cost Of FollowingLiving For Christ AloneAmbassadors Of ReconciliationWait Actively On The LordThe Power Of Worship In WaitingObedience Before UnderstandingThe Danger Of DistractionCommunity In The WaitingInviting God To InterruptSheep of Goats? Examining Our IdentityTriumphal Entry - Misplaced Hope
April
From Hosanna to Crucify - The Fickleness of Human HeartsLove in Action - Serving The Least Of TheseReturning To The Good ShepherdThe Empty Tomb - Evidence of VictoryWhy Do You Look Among The Dead?Crucified With Christ - Your Personal ResurrectionFrom Fear To Faith - The Disciples' JourneyLiving Resurrection Life DailyDay 1: The Heart of DiscipleshipDay 2: The Power of Your StoryDay 3: Waiting with PurposeDay 4: Community Makes DisciplesDay 5: Healing and Purpose in JesusDay 1: The Consuming Fire of God's PresenceDay 2: Waiting in WorshipDay 3: When God's Timing Exceeds Our PlanningDay 4: Baptized and Filled with the Holy SpiritDay 5: Pierced Hearts and Transformed LivesDay 1: Waiting in WorshipDay 2: Unqualified but ObedientDay 3: The Holy Spirit's PowerDay 4: Church as Family
May
Day 5: Your Life MissionDay 1: What Do You Have to Give?Day 2: Community Over CharityDay 3: Discernment in GivingDay 4: Walking in the LightDay 5: Mission-Focused HelpingDay 1: What Do You Have to Offer?Day 2: Faith That Helps Others StandDay 3: Healing as a Sign Pointing to JesusDay 4: Different Kinds of Healing We All NeedDay 5: Becoming a Healing CommunityDay 1: The Power of the SpiritDay 2: Rejoicing in PersecutionDay 3: United in MissionDay 4: Generous Hearts, Growing ChurchDay 5: Obedience Over ComfortDay 1: Everything Belongs to GodDay 2: The Heart Behind the GiftDay 3: Unity Through the SpiritDay 4: Obedience Over ObligationDay 5: Trusting God's Provision
June
Day 1: The Foundation of Our MissionDay 2: United in PurposeDay 3: God's Heart for the VulnerableDay 4: Sustained by CommunityDay 5: Your Mission FieldDay 1: The Battle Belongs to GodDay 2: The Cost of Following JesusDay 3: Separated for a PurposeDay 4: Spirit-Filled and Spirit-LedDay 5: Hope in the DepthsDay 1: Scattered But Not SilentDay 2: From Slave to ChildDay 3: The Beautiful FeetDay 4: Waiting in HopeDay 5: Living Testimony
Categories
no categories
No Comments