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Charlottesville, VA 22901

 The Contrite Heart

By Joe R. Price

The Bible teaches that sinners must repent or perish (Lk. 13:1-5). Since “all have sinned,” every accountable person is commanded to repent to be saved (Rom. 3:23; Acts 17:30). If we truly intend to repent of our sins we must understand and comply with what God says produces “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).

Repentance is the change of heart toward sin that brings about a change of life (Acts 26:20). A heart of “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10). Sorry that is not “godly” (that does not come from reverence for God and a willingness to obey God instead of sin) does not produce genuine repentance, and cannot please God. God will not accept the sinner who says “I repent” but whose heart is not broken in sorrow over sin.

When King David was confronted with his sins of adultery, murder and deception, he confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13). A study of David’s psalms reveals the kind of heart that led to his admission of sin and most importantly, to God’s forgiveness of his sins (Ps. 6, 32, 38, 51).

Key to David’s repentance and God’s forgiveness was “a broken and a contrite heart” (Ps. 51:17). David could have offered thousands of burnt sacrifices to Almighty God, yet they would not have pleased Him: “For you do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering” (Ps. 51:16). Approaching God with offerings is futile if we do not first approach Him with a humble heart that is crushed over our sin (that is, “godly sorrow”). Then, God will receive our obedient service. “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18). God grants mercy to and dwells in heavenly places with the person “who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isa. 57:15; cf. Eph. 2:4-6).

The Lord will also “revive the spirit of the humble, and…of the contrite ones” (Isa. 57:15). Thus, David sought a “clean heart” and “steadfast spirit,” renewed and purged of sin; “restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Ps. 51:10-12).

Repentance begins with godly sorrow; a crushed and broken spirit. Jesus blesses those who mourn over sin with comfort (Matt. 5:4; Jas. 4:7-10). What a merciful God we have, who forgives the humble in heart, who obey Him and put away sin!

Drawing Near to God