A Broken and Contrite Heart  
 

by Bryan Gibson

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart—these, O God, you will not despise” (Psalms 51:17). “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalms 34:18). It’s a shame that something so highly valued by God is often not by man—for several reasons. When self-esteem becomes the “end all, be all,” it’s hard for anyone to actually mourn their sin. Guilt and shame—avoid those feelings at all cost. Add to all this the many excuses we make for sin, the less offensive labels we put on it, the all too popular mantra, “don’t judge me,” and you can see why a broken and contrite heart is too often replaced by hard and impenitent one (Romans 2:4-5). But exactly what is this “broken and contrite heart”?

A heart that hates sin, just like God does, a heart that understands both the nature and consequences of sin. “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Psalms 51:3-4). It’s a heart that says to God, “I have rebelled against Your authority”; “I have betrayed Your love”; “I have denied the purpose for which You created me”; “I have brought dishonor to Your name.” It’s “godly sorrow,” because first and foremost, it’s an offense against God (2 Corinthians 7:9-11).

A heart crushed, or shattered to pieces by sin. “The LORD...saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalms 34:18, ESV). That’s exactly what the Hebrew word dakka indicates—crushed, pulverized, “smashed to smithereens.” Here’s what a crushed spirit sounds like: “My life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away” (Psalms 31:10). “I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart” (Psalms 38:6-8).

A heart, then, that wants to be mended, that wants to feel joy again, the joy that comes with forgiveness and restored fellowship to God. “Purge my with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities…restore to me the joy of Your salvation…deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God…and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness” (Psalms 51:7-9, 12, 14).

A heart willing to repent, a heart that doesn’t want to break God’s heart again, a heart that desires to serve God more faithfully. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Psalms 51:10-13, ESV). “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation…what diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all these things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).

A holy God cannot abide with sin, cannot dwell with those who are in sin, but He can abide with those who have sinned, but have a broken and contrite heart. “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). May God help us to have such a heart!

 

 

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