Psalm 51 tells of David’s restoration to ministry. He gives us a roadmap for us to get back in the game.

There must be honesty about personal sin. This is so unusual because the normal thing is to blame others. We’ve got to own up to our sin and David does that. Notice how many times David says “me” and “my.” Will you and I do the same or will continue to make excuses and scapegoat others?
There must be confidence in God’s cleansing power. Notice the many cleansing verbs in this Psalm, blot, cleanse, wash, restore, purge, renew. Based on the perfect shed blood of Jesus, God alone has the power to remove guilt and shame regardless of how heinous our sins may be.
There must be an emphasis on inner purity. David’s real problem was not dirty hands or feet, bu inner corruption and that’s where we struggle too. Jesus is more concerned about our inner life than our outer show. God desires “truth in the inward parts.” This includes the heart and the spirit of a person. Outwardly we may appear clean and decent, but God is probing deep into our thoughts and affections. He wants these to be cleaned up.

David was able to come back after his moral fall. The Psalm ends with him singing, teaching, and worshiping. You and I also can come back after we have fallen. Be honest about your sin, believe that God can cleanse you, and invite the Holy Spirit to probe deep within your being.