A Broken and Contrite Heart

walshy — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 14:07:00 GMT

Recently I came across these verses in Psalm 51:

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
       you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
       a broken and contrite heart,
       O God, you will not despise.

These are verses that I'd heard before. But this time I decided to look at them more closely. Specifically, what does it mean to have a contrite heart? Being an accountant I wasn't quite sure, so I looked it up:

con·trite: adj. Deeply affected with grief and regret for having done wrong

Here are my conclusions:

To be contrite is to be cut to the core by my own depravity.
To be contrite is to be brought to tears by my continual failings.
To be contrite is to beg for my own damnation.

For it is only when I fall at God's feet, with a broken spirit and a contrite heart, that I can, but for a moment, glimpse the world (and myself) through God's own eyes. And it is only as I cling to His cross, that I can start to fathom the true meaning of grace.

Following God is not about my personal sacrifices.
Following God is not about my words nor my works.
Following God is about never forgetting the cost.

Brighter Horizons : psalms

A Broken and Contrite Heart