A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART / PSALMS 51:17

(KJV) Psalms 51:17

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

We live in a culture obsessed with performance. We measure worth by what we can produce, achieve, or sacrifice. Sometimes we bring this exact same mindset into our relationship with God. We try to impress Him with our behavior, our service, or our personal sacrifices.

But have you ever stopped to realize that God isn’t looking for your resume?

The truth is, people make sacrifices all the time. Sometimes we sacrifice for good reasons, like family or career. Other times, we sacrifice for bad reasons, driven by pride or a desire control. Because our motives are so easily tangled up in selfishness, God is not overly impressed by what we think we can do for Him.

So, what does He actually want? King David discovered the answer in the lowest, darkest moment of his life. After committing devastating sins, David didn’t try to buy God off with religious rituals. Instead, he wrote these words in Psalms 51:17:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

To the world, “brokenness” means defeated, ruined, or useless. But in the kingdom of God, brokenness is the gateway to healing.

• A Broken Spirit: This means your pride has been shattered. You have stopped defending your mistakes, making excuses, or pretending you have it all together.
• A Contrite Heart: The word “contrite” means literally crushed or wiped clean by deep sorrow. It describes a heart full of genuine grief and regret over sin—not just sorrow for getting caught, but sorrow for hurting the heart of God.

What God truly desires is for us to recognize our absolute helplessness without His strength. He wants us to lay down our weapons, stop our striving, and completely surrender our situations to Him.

When we put aside our selfishness and pride to cry out for mercy, something miraculous happens. God does not turn us away. He does not say, “Come back when you have fixed yourself.”

Scripture gives us beautiful promises about how God responds to humility:

• He lives with the humble: Isaiah 57:15 tells us that the high and lofty God lives in the high and holy place, but also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit.
• He justifies the helpless: In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus compares a proud religious leader with a broken tax collector. The tax collector could only beat his breast and pray, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus declared that it was the broken man, not the proud one, who went home justified.

If you are carrying the heavy weight of regret, failure, or sin today, stop trying to fix it with performative sacrifices. God doesn’t want your empty promises to “do better.” He wants your surrender. You can be absolutely sure that when you bring Him a bruised, broken, and humble heart, He will receive you with open arms.

Heavenly Father,

I come to You today recognizing that I cannot save myself, fix myself, or impress You with my own strength. Forgive me for the times I have let pride, selfishness, and secret sins guide my life. I am tired of making my own sacrifices and trying to prove my worth.

Lord, I bring You my heart just as it is—broken, contrite, and filled with regret for where I have fallen short. Thank You for the promise that You will never reject or despise a heart that turns to You in humility. Wash me clean by Your grace. Break the power of pride in my life, and let Your strength be made perfect in my absolute weakness. I surrender my life, my failures, and my future into Your merciful hands.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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1. RESTORE TO ME THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION
2. OR TAKE YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME / PSALMS 51:11
3. CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART / PSALMS 51:10
4. I WAS SINFUL AT BIRTH / PSALMS 51:5
5. AGAINST YOU … HAVE I SINNED / PSALMS 51:4
6. MY SIN IS ALWAYS BEFORE ME / PSALMS 51:3
7. HAVE MERCY ON ME / PSALMS 51:1-19
8. A PSALM OF DAVID / PSALMS 51
9. WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO RECITE MY LAWS? / PSALMS 50:16-23
10. CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE / PSALMS 50:15
11. HEAR THIS / PSALMS 49:1-20
12. OUR GUIDE EVEN TO THE END / PSALMS 48:14
13. THE CITY OF OUR GOD / PSALMS 48:1
14. BE STILL / PSALMS 46:10
15. THERE IS A RIVER / PSALMS 46:4
16. OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH / PSALMS 46:1-2
17. YOUR THRONE OF GOD WILL LAST FOR EVER AND EVER / PSALMS 45:6-7
18. FOR YOUR SAKE WE FACE DEATH ALL DAY LONG / PSALMS 44:22
19. YOU HAVE REJECTED / PSALMS 44:9
20. MY SOUL IS DOWNCAST / PSALMS 42:5-6
21. MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR GOD / PSALMS 42:2
22. THE SONS OF KORAH / PSALMS 42
23. LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME / PSALMS 41:9
24. BLESSED IS HE WHO HAS REGARD FOR THE WEAK / PSALMS 41:1
25. I DESIRE TO DO YOUR WILL – YOUR LAW IS WITHIN MY HEART / PSALMS 40:8
26. SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU DID NOT DESIRE / PSALMS 40:6
27. MY LIFE’S END / PSALMS 39:4-6
28. I WILL WATCH MY WAYS / PSALMS 39:1-13
29. BE NOT FAR FROM ME / PSALMS 38:21
30. NO HEALTH IN MY BODY / PSALMS 38:3
31. DO NOT REBUKE ME / PSALMS 38:1-22
32. WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM / PSALMS 37:7
33. MAKE YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHINE LIKE THE DAWN / PSALMS 37:6
34. DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD / PSALMS 37:4
35. DO NOT FRET / PSALMS 37:1-40
36. DOES NOT REJECT WHAT IS WRONG / PSALMS 36:4
37. DISGRACED AND PUT TO SHAME / PSALMS 35:4
38. FIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO FIGHT AGAINST ME / PSALMS 35:1-28
39. HAVE MANY TROUBLES / PSALMS 34:19
40. THOSE WHO FEAR HIM LACK NOTHING / PSALMS 34:9
41. ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPS / PSALMS 34:7
42. I WILL EXTOL THE LORD / PSALMS 34:1-22
43. ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM / PSALMS 33:18-19
44. THE WORD … THE BREATH / PSALMS 33:6
45. I WILL INSTRUCT YOU / PSALMS 32:8
46. I ACKNOWLEDGED MY SIN / PSALMS 32:5
47. WHEN I KEPT SILENT MY BONES WASTED AWAY / PSALMS 32:3-4
48. DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST HIM / PSALMS 32:2
49. BLESSED IS HE WHOSE TRANSGRESSIONS ARE FORGIVEN / PSALMS 32:1
50. MASKIL / PSALMS 32
51. INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT / PSALMS 31:5
52. DELIVER ME / PSALMS 31:1-24
53. FELT SECURE / PSALMS 30:6
54. IF YOU REMAIN SILENT / PSALMS 28:1-9
55. I AM STILL CONFIDENT / PSALMS 27:13
56. ONE THING I ASK / PSALMS 27:4
57. I LOVE THE HOUSE WHERE YOU LIVE / PSALMS 26:8
58. GOD IS SO GOOD – ALL THE TIME!
59. FEAR HIM / PSALMS 25:14
60. HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM / PSALMS 25:12
61. FORGIVE MY INIQUITY / PSALMS 25:11
62. SHOW ME YOUR WAYS / PSALMS 25:4
63. KING OF GLORY / PSALMS 24:7
64. HE WILL RECEIVE BLESSING / PSALMS 24:5
65. CLEAN HANDS AND A PURE HEART / PSALMS 24:4
66. GOODNESS AND LOVE / PSALMS 23:6
67. PREPARE A TABLE / PSALMS 23:5
68. YOU ARE WITH ME / PSALMS 23:4
69. HE RESTORES MY SOUL / PSALMS 23:3
70. HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN / PSALMS 23:2
71. MY SHEPHERD – I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT / PSALMS 23:1
72. THE LORD / PALMS 23:1-6
73. FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE TOLD ABOUT THE LORD / PSALMS 22:30-31
74. TO MY BROTHERS / PSALMS 22:22
75. DIVIDE MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM / PSALMS 22:18
76. PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET / PSALMS 22:16
77. THERE IS NO ONE TO HELP / PSALMS 22:11-17
78. HE TRUSTS IN THE LORD / PSALMS 22:8
79. SHAKING THEIR HEADS / PALMS 22:7
80. I CRY OUT … YOU DO NOT ANSWER / PSALMS 22:2
81. MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE OU FORSAKEN ME? / PSALMS 22:1
82. MY GOD / PSALMS 22:1-31
83. ANSWER YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN DISTRESS / PSALMS 20:1 – 21:13
84. MOUTH … HEART BE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT – O LORD MY ROCK AND MY REDEEMER / PSALMS 19:14
85. FORGIVE MY HIDDEN FAULTS / PSALMS 19:12
86. THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT / PSALMS 19:7-11
87. THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD / PSALMS 19:1
88. I LOVE YOU O LORD / PSALMS 18:1-50
89. MY ROCK MY FORTRESS AND MY DELIVERER / PSALMS 18:2
90. THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE / PSALMS 17:8-9
91. HEAR O LORD / PSALMS 17:1
92. NOT ABANDON ME TO THE GRAVE / PSALMS 16:9-10
93. SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME / PSALMS 16:8
94. ASSIGNED ME MY PRTION AND MY CUP / PSALMS 16:5
95. APART FROM YOU I HAVE NO GOOD THING / PSALMS 16:2
96. WHO KEEPS HIS OATH EVEN WHEN IT HURTS / PSALMS 15:4
97. WHO MAY DWELL IN YOUR SANCTURARY? PSALMS 15:1
98. THE FOOL / PSALMS 14:1-7
99. MY HEART REJOIES IN YOUR SALVATION / PSALMS 13:5
100. WILL YOU FORGET ME FOREVER? / PSALMS 13:1
101. HELP LORD / PSALMS 12:1-8
102. THOSE WHO LOVE VIOLENCE HIS SOUL HATES / PALMS 11:5
103. IN THE LORD I TAKE REFUGE / PSALMS 11:1-7
104. FROM AMBUSH HE MURDERS THE INNOCENT / PSALMS 10:8-10
105. IN HIS ARROGANCE THE WICKED MAN HUNTS / PSALMS 10:2
106. DO YOU STAND FAR OFF? / PSALMS 10:1-18
107. THE NEEDY WILL NOT ALWAYS BE FORGOTTEN / PSALMS 9:18
108. JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS / PSALMS 9:8
109. DESTROYED THE WICKED / PSALMS 9:5
110. I WILL PRAISE YOU O LORD / PSALMS 9:1-2
111. WITH GLORY AND HONOR / PSALMS 8:5
112. THE SON OF MAN / PSALMS 8:3-6
113. WHO SAVES THE UPRIGHT IN HEART / PSALMS 7:10
114. I TAKE REFUGE / PSALMS 7:1
115. DELIVER ME FROM ALL WHO PURSUE ME / PSALMS 7:1-17
116. I AM WORN OUT FROM GROANING / PSALMS 6:6
117. DELIVER ME / PSALMS 6:4
118. HEAL ME / PSALMS 6:2
119. DO NOT REBUKE ME IN YOUR ANGER / PSALMS 6:1-10
120. YOU HATE ALL WHO DO WRONG / PSALMS 5:5-6
121. YOU HEAR MY VOICE / PSALMS 5:3
122. WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL TO HIM / PSALMS 4:3
123. ANSWER ME / PSALMS 4:1-8
124. I LIE DOWN AND SLEEP / PSALMS 3:5
125. YOU ARE A SHIELD … YOU BESTOW GLORY / PSALMS 3:3
126. SELAH / PALMS 3:2
127. HOW MANY ARE MY FOES! / PSALMS 3:1-8
128. WHY DO THE NATIONS CONSPIRE / PSALMS 2:1-12
129. THE NATIONS YOUR INHERITANCE / PSALMS 2:8
130. MY SON TODAY I HAVE BECOME YOUR FATHER / PSALMS 2:7
131. HIS ANOINTED ONE / PSALMS 2:2
132. THE WICKED / PSALMS 1:4-6
133. STREAMS OF WATER / PSALMS 1:3
134. HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW / PSALMS 1:2
135. BLESSED IS THE MAN / PSALMS 1:1
136. HE KNOWS HOW WE ARE FORMED / PSALMS 103:14
137. COMPASSION ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM / PSALMS 103:13
138. FORGIVES … HEALS / PSALMS 103:3-16
139. PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL / PSALMS 103:1-2
140. NEAR TO ALL WHO CALL ON HIM / PSALMS 145:18
141. THE LORD IS GRACIOUS / PSALMS 145:8
142. EVERY DAY I WILL PRAISE YOU / PSALMS 145:1-2
143. BLESSED – THE LAW / PSALMS 119:1
144. YOUR WORD IS … A LIGHT FOR MY PATH / PSALMS 119:05
145. Guided By Grace About

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