Q2. Confession of Sin

[Gwen Bryant]

A. David does not seek to minimize nor maximize his sin; He expresses the sin as it really is: A rebellion against God; A distortion of God's plan and purpose for our lives and relationships; A falling short of God's glory for man and evil compounded.

B. We cannot be forgiven for what we don't truly confess. If we take sin lightly, sin will take us over, because we aren't seeing it as the deadly snare it truly is. We must uncover all aspects of sin.

[fran]

David is realistic about his sin. And he knew whom to take his sorrow to. And he knew whom to take his sinful self to.

[dantanc]

David confesses his sin, in this portion of scripture directly to God, without any dressing-up, in all totality. And humbly pleads with God to forgive him. He is sincerely repentant.

[Barbara1]

No .He admits to the sin as his sin and only his sin.

No. He shows true repentance and acknowleges that he is sinful by birth, but also shows that the sin is against God as well as against his human counter parts.

Without clear, unvarnished acknowlegement of sin we are unable to understand the sin therefore we cannot truely ask for pardon of it ,and receive pardon.

[Dolly]

David confesses his sins 'just as they are', plain and out in the open. he lays them all before the Lord.

God wants to know, that we know, just how bad our sin is. He wants us to acknowledge to him and to ourselves just how ugly and disgusting sin really is. he wants us to hate sin as much as he does. To know and realize this, makes us truly humble before God, truly sorry for what we have done and willing to make it right before God and mankind.

[Mayjoy]

In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective

David didnt seek to minimize or maximize his sin, instead he confessed his sin whole heartedly and ask for forgiveness.

Authentic prayer of pardon require acknowledgement of sin because this shows that we are truly sorry for what we did, and we know that this separate us from God the reason why we repent and ask for His forgiveness

[JustJeff]

In no way does David minimize his sins nor does he try to maximize them. He is straight forward and as open and honest as he can be. Effective prayer demands this state of mind to petition the Holy One, who is a discerner of our hearts and intents. There is no way that we can be humble in His presence if we cannot be honest about our sin and He certainly will not pardon if we are not unerringly accurate in the sincereity of our request.

[His Kid]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

It would do no good to try to minimize or maximize your sins. God knows every detail before you ever committed the sin. God deals on the heart level, at the very core. You can not rationalize or blame others. Taking responsibility in total honesty, repenting, turning the other way, and trusting the Lord's finished work on Calvary is what God is looking at.

[april]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

David seeks to be real with God and admit his sin to him. no excues. God knows when we are not be honest about our sin because, He knows our heart, and what is in it.

[anthony s. rapaglia]

David now saw, more than ever, what an unclean heart he had, and sadly regrets it,but he sees it is not in his own power to amend it,and therefore begs God would create in him a clean heart.

When the sinner feels this change is necessary,and reads the promise of God to that purpose,he begins to ask it

[AngelOnLine]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins?

No, he acknowledges all of his sins before God.

To maximize them?

He doesn

[Shelly1728]

In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? No.

To maximize them? No. Neither. He says, "God desires truth in the inward parts." I believe he was acknowledging his sin like it was.

Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective? Because there is not true repentance. To be true repentance and confession, it requires truthful confession of the actual wrong committed to the best of one's ability. That is why it is so important to ask God to search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us. Because, He alone knows the extent and nature of our sin and can reveal it to us.

[Commissioned]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them?

No, David does not seek to minimize his sin. He owns up to it fully before God.

Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

If we are to receive pardon for our sins then our prayer for pardon must be authentic and clear. There must be acknowledgment that we have sinned and that we are repenting of that sin. We must come before God with a broken and a contrite heart.

[nancychua]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

1). David acknowledges all his sins before God. He didn`t try to make up excuses for his sins. For it is a breach that must healed at all costs.

2). David is honest about his sins truly sorry and wanted to be right with God again. He shows true repentance and acknowleges that he is sinful by birth, but also shows that the sin is against God as well as against his human counter parts. God is a forgiving merciful God that when we confess our sins with truthful and sorrowful heart.

3). All sins must be confessed to God with a grieving spirit before He will hear our prayer. Sin blocken between God and sinners. Effective prayer demands the state of clear mind to petition the Holy One, who is a discerner of our hearts and intents. There is no way that we can be humble in His presence if we cannot be honest about our sin and He certainly will not pardon if we are not unerringly accurate in the sincerity of our request.

[plethra]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

No he does not seek to minimize or to maximize his sins. He is simply admitting to his sins. He is seeing it as it truly is before God. This acknowledgement of sin is essential because only when we can truly admit and confess how very wrong we are can we really be forgiven. So many times we try to hide a part of our sin, to cover it up, or to pretend that it really wasn't all that bad, or to rationalize our sin. We must realize that sin is sin and sin is a stench in the nostils of God who is holy righteous and pure. Thank God He is merciful and kind and forgiving, - but we must confess TO HIM and hold nothing back. We must be honest and up front with God - He knows it all any way. Healing comes from cleansing and in order to be cleansed we must see our sins as they are.

[Craig]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

David does not seek to minimize his sins in this prayer, but seeks to acknowledge his sin in the clearest possible way. He makes no excuses for his behavior. He has a humble and broken-spirit before God. In order for a prayer of pardon to mean anything it must be asked before God in a broken-spirit.

[FireSpeaks]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

I don't think David is trying to minimize his sin, instead I think he is acknowleding that they are a part of him not something outside hime self but something that has been with him from the beganing. Here he simply recognize where they come from. Not "the devil made me do it" but instead in confessing his sin before God he states this is part of me but according to your loving kindness and tender mercies forgive me.

I don't believe there is a writting in the bible that gaves me as much revelation as this Psalm 51. It brings together all the more difficult saying of Jesus Christ for me at least. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus says Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. and in verse 4 David Cries "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." this brought me to a powerful realization that all sin is directed against God. When I realized that I took sin from a different perspecptive, I realized that which I had done to even the least of them I had done against my savior.

This is why it is not just the acknowledgement of sin that important but the acknowledgement of whom we sin against that builds in us a broken and contrite heart.

[kathyrob]

I don

[allyann]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them?

No, David in no way attempts to minimize his sin, he acknowledges that his sin is ever before him and that he and he alone is guilty of sinning a gainst God and did evil in His sight.

He is not trying to hide his sin, but in verses 3-6, he is acknowledging that sin was present not only in his present circumstances, but also from the very beginnig of his life. He is saying that man has a disposition for sin not to maximize his personal sin, but to emphasize the dimensions of sin and the effect it has on all mankind.

Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

God know our hearts, even our innermost parts, we cannot hide from God. For our prayers for forgiveness to be effective, we have to be up front with God. God already knows that we have sinned and He knows to what extent we have sinned, He is only waiting for us to come to him fully acknowledging that we have sinned and are truly repentent.

[Stan]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

No he tells God that he is aware of his sin and that he knows that God knows and it is against God that he has sinned the worst He admits that with out God's mercy he can never be rid of His sin and will be forever lost from God without his crying out to God for forgiveness.

We have to acknowledge the sin in our lives not for God because He already knows our sinful nature,but for our self. We must seek to rid ourselves of any thing that puts a wedge between us and God. To acknowledge our prayer help us to see them as they are and to give up the denial that they aren't sin at all.

[Nina]

David does not seek to minimize or maximize his sin. He is asking for forgiveness for his sin saying he has sinned against God.

For our prayers for forgiveness to be effective we have to recognize our sin and confess them with our whole heart and mind realizing that is the only way to receive pardon and cleansing for our sins.

[love.serve.know]

David does not try to minimize or maximize his sin. In order to be authentic a prayer needs to be honest. We want forgiveness for exactly what we did wrong

[iam4-1god]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

The bottom line is this-we are in rebellion when we go against The Word. And, we can't hide our intensions or aour reasons for doing what we do. So, when we ask for forgiveness, we must come clean. Nothing is hidden, so we should confess all. Anything left unconfessed is a clear act of unbelief, and disrespect for God, who clearly knows what we've done anyway. Disrespecting God is like saying that it doesn't matter what He thinks, or how He feels.

[JanMary]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins?

No, once confronted by Nathan the prophet, he pours out his confession of sin to his God, repenting and asking to be cleansed and washed clean.

To maximize them?

He is clear that he has sinned against God and man...he doesn't pull any punches about "death and bloodguiltiness" in the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband or his sin with Bathsheba.

Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

God desire's truth in our "inward parts"....He already knows the truth...He was there, saw what we did, said or thought....He requires us to be clear about our sin, to eliminate guilt...If I only confess part of the sin and try to hide something...that "something" will stay on my conscience and will be a barrier between the Lord and I, blocking intimacy with Him. If I've done something I believe is too sinful to confess to God, it shows some denial about my true fallen condition, wanting to "hide" from Him, like Adam and Eve did in the garden. Best to bring it into the light and to expose it, so I don't repeat it again.

Several months after I became a Christian, I noticed my family teased me about exaggerating when I recounted a story...instead of 2 geese, I'd say a flock of geese or some such thing....When I got tired of the teasing, I talked to the Lord about the exaggerating.....He spoke to my heart and said "I will cleanse you from this when you call it what it is"... it only took me a few minutes to "get it"....I called it LYING and confessed it.....that broke the pattern.

[RickJW]

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective?

David does not minimize, nor maximize, his sins, but rather acknowledges the naturally sinful condition of man, and so, he also is sinful. The words that he uses for his sin confess the root sins that he is guilty of. We sometime treat the symptoms of a physical disease, rather than the cause: this is what David would have been doing if he had said: "God, I have committed adultery and murder", but, by confessing rebellion, twistedness, missing the way, and wickedness, he is confessing the root causes of his sins. While God could forgive him the adultery and murder, without removing the rebelliousness from David's inner self, he would be prone to sin again.

In all prayer, God wants for us to be specific. To be specific in our prayers of confession, requires that we dig down into our being, as David has done, and recognize what causes us to sin.

In answering this question, I have learned a great deal. I have been diligent to pray each day, asking forgivness for specific sins. When I first read through this prayer, I said to myself, but he did not tell God that he committed adultery and murder. Upon reading Dr. Ralph's explanation of the synonymns used in the original Hebrew, the 'light went on'. While I feel I need to remember the specific sins of my past, and confess them in prayer, I also need to dig down into the next layers, to discover the root causes of those sins.

Thank you, Dr. Ralph!!