What comes after forgiveness?

Psalm 51 is one of the great prayers of penitence. This is David's prayer after Nathan comes to him and rebukes him for committing adultery with Bathsheba and having Uriah killed. David asks again and again for God to have mercy on him, to cleanse him, to heal him. But then his prayer changes slightly. He moves from asking God to forgive his past and starts to focus more on the future. Then he begins to talk about what he will do. And in verse 13 he promises to teach God's ways to "transgressors" - in other words, to other people who have sinned - so that they will turn back to God.

I often go to God and ask for forgiveness. When I'm feeling dirtied by sin I ask Him to make me clean again. I sometimes use David's phrase and ask God to "renew a steadfast spirit within me". And when I read this Psalm I often linger over the words "Restore to me the joy of your salvation". And why not? Being cleansed, being made steadfast, regaining joy - those are all wonderful outcomes. But then comes the second half of verse 12 : "grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me". Sustain me for what? For what actions will I need a willing spirit to sustain me? The answer comes in the next five verses: after forgiveness comes evangelism, praise and sacrifice.

The Psalm can be broken down into several sections. The first two verses ask God for forgiveness, not because David deserves it but because God is loving and compassionate. Next David takes responsibility for his actions. It's he who is sinful, and it's God he has sinned against. It's worth noting that David says "against you only have I sinned". This doesn't mean that the harm he's done to other people doesn't matter; he's acknowledging that any sin against another person is a sin against God, and this prayer is about David's relationship with Him. Then David begins to look at what the results of forgiveness will be, centred around verse 9's assurance that when God hides His face from David's sins, then all David's iniquity will be blotted out. The results of forgiveness for David are cleanliness, gladness, steadfastness and joy.

And then David moves beyond wanting to feel good because he is forgiven. He takes those good feelings and turns them into actions. He says that he will teach sinners the ways of God: this means that he's going to those who either have forgotten God's ways or have never known them. He says that if God opens David's lips then his mouth will declare God's praise. That's not quiet adoration, that's out-loud, top-of-your-voice praise. In fact, David is going to sing of God's righteousness. David is going to take his broken spirit and offer it as a sacrifice to God. He's been broken, he's asked to be mended, but then he gives full control over to God. Finally David broadens his prayer to wider society, but with the same focus: he asks God to bless Jerusalem, not so that Jerusalem will be great, but so that God may be better worshipped.

Being forgiven is about more than feeling good. Yes, the joy of salvation is a real feeling, but what comes next is essential. If I don't go beyond feeling good to telling other people about God's ways and being open in praising Him, then I've only gone half the distance. Having my sins blotted out demands more of a response than simply feeling happier.