24: Create in Me a Clean Heart

Reading Assignment for Sunday, June 29, 2014

Class Member Study Guide:  Lesson 24

2 Samuel 11     2 Samuel 12

Insightful article about the Call of David to be King:  The King Called David by Arthur R. Bassett.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

 "David was brave and had great intellect, administrative ability, and faithfulness early in life, he failed in one important thing—to endure to the end" (Old Testament Institute Study Guide).

“Things were getting too easy for David; he had leisure to stay at home while Joab and his men were out fighting Ammonites and Syrians. In his leisure he looked from his rooftop at his neighbor’s wife. Leisure and lust led to adultery and then to murder, which sins had eternal repercussions, as well as tragic earthly results. It is one of the shocking and serious warnings of the Old Testament that a man may be ever so good and great and eminent and still have weaknesses which can lead to deeds that entirely overshadow and defeat the better self!” (Rasmussen, Introduction to the Old Testament, 1:185.)

Elder Boyd K. Packer:

“The discouraging idea that a mistake (or even a series of them) makes it everlastingly too late, does not come from the Lord.

He has said that if we will repent, not only will He forgive us our transgressions, but He will forget them and remember our sins no more. … Repentance is like soap; it can wash sin away. Ground-in dirt may take the strong detergent of discipline to get the stains out, but out they will come” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 72; or Ensign, May 1989, 59).

From Psalms 51:

 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

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