Psalm 51 (Day 50): Pentecost Sunday

"This is the day, this is the day

that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made;

I will rejoice, I will rejoice

and be glad in it, and be glad in it.

This is the day that the Lord has made;

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day, this is the day

that the Lord has made."

-- John W. Peterson

Yes, this is the day.
This is the long-awaited day of Pentecost.

For the first time in my life, I opted to go through the 50-day journey of actively waiting for Pentecost Sunday. Though I gave my heart to Christ at age 5 and grew up in a vibrant Christian home, I was not necessarily conscious of the significance of this commemoration. Unlike increasingly more commercialized Easter and Christmas, Pentecost is relegated to non-existence as far as societal markers are concerned.

It thus made sense that I took the time to learn about it.
Two main areas of learning took over my being during this season -- learning about the Holy Spirit through Pentecost and learning about the Holy Word through Psalm 51.

Learning about the Holy Spirit through Pentecost

I have learned that Pentecost marks the day when the Holy Spirit came and rested on the earliest individual believers in Christ. Occurring 52 days after Good Friday, 50 days after Resurrection Sunday, and 10 days after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, Scripture details the events surrounding Pentecost in Acts 2:1-13. The following is excerpted from the referenced passage:

"Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind

came from heaven and filled the whole house

where they [the believers in Christ] were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated

and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak in other tongues

as the Spirit enabled them."

Acts 2:2-4, NIV

I have also learned that Pentecost itself commemorates the birthday of the Church, the bride of Christ, to whom Jesus promised to send the Counselor and Spirit of truth as recorded in John 14:25-26; 16:5-15. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the Father's seal of approval, the engine of the church -- without the Holy Spirit, there is no church.

I have further learned to gratefully consider the sine qua non role the Holy Spirit played (and continues to play) in the launching and growth of the large-scale spreading of the message of Christ. On the day of Pentecost, a Spirit-filled Peter addressed the crowd of onlookers and, at the end of his speech, an amazing event took place -- no fewer than three thousand people were cut to the heart and asked:

"What shall we do?"

Acts 2:37, NIV

They heard the message because of the Holy Spirit.

They heeded the message because of the Holy Spirit.

And because of the Holy Spirit, Peter replied,

"Repent . . ."

Acts 2:38, NIV

As a result, they accepted God's Word, repented of their sins, and received forgiveness. 

Is that not somewhat reminiscent of the story leading to the writing of Psalm 51?

Learning about the Holy Word through Psalm 51

For 50 days, I have been pondering Psalm 51. Like Peter, the prophet Nathan was empowered by the Spirit of the living God when he addressed David. And like the crowd on the day of Pentecost, David was cut to the heart and silently asked his "What shall I do?" and repented. And through his confession and repentance, an anointed David invited so many people to join him in worship:

     -  the director of music

     -  the people of Israel

     -  the throng of believers being added daily to the fold of God

I have learned through this penitential psalm that I need to thank the Father for sending His Word to us. I have also learned to thank the Lord Jesus for His prophetic office, including all the messengers He has placed in my life to point me to His truth. Additionally, I have learned to thank the Holy Spirit for facilitating the transaction of hearing and heeding the Holy Word.

Psalm 51 has taught me that the holy Word of God exists to coat my heart with the oil of confession -- declaring the Lordship of Christ and renouncing a life of habitual sin.

In the first twelve verses, I learned to recognize the sinner's plea -- cleansing, renewal, and restoration. Then, verses 13-17 depict the sinner's promise to instruct other transgressors -- the need to turn away from sin and turn toward God. They also highlight the brokenhearted and contrite sinner's vow to present a sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord. Lastly, verses 18 and 19 provide an example of the sinner's intercession on behalf of the true Zion, the new Jerusalem in Christ Jesus.

Where do we go from here?

It has been an extremely rich 50-day journey. I have wept and mourned with David, promised and taught with David, confessed and interceded with David, rejoiced and exulted with David, and waited and waited for the Holy Spirit to fill me more and more with His precious wisdom.  As I end this journey today, the wisdom I have received from God concerning His Word amounts to this:

I need the Holy Spirit.

I know nothing without the Holy Spirit.

I understand nothing without the Holy Spirit.
I accomplish absolutely nothing without the Holy Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit who speaks the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who exegetes the Holy Word.

It is the Holy Spirit who convicts through the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who enlightens through the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who translates and transmits the Holy Word. 

Thank You, Lord, for Your gift! Where can I go but to You? Instruct me, show me, teach me, fill me, mold me, melt me, use me. Draw me to hear and heed the Holy Word. Lead me to repent and confess and intercede and worship You. May it all be for Your glory! In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!