Connect Ezekiel 36:31 with Psalm 51:17 on the theme of a contrite heart.

The Setting in Ezekiel 36

“Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and abominations.” (Ezekiel 36:31)

• Ezekiel 36 promises Israel a literal return to the land, a new heart, and the indwelling of the Spirit (vv. 24-27).

• Verse 31 describes the inward result: genuine self-loathing over sin.

• God’s renewal does not bypass repentance; it produces it.

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The Sacrifice God Welcomes in Psalm 51

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

• David, after his sin with Bathsheba, confesses that inward contrition outweighs outward ritual.

• “Broken” = crushed; “contrite” = pulverized—imagery of complete humility before God.

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A Single Thread: God-Given Brokenness

1. Source

• Ezekiel shows contrition as the fruit of God’s promised new heart (v. 26).

• Psalm 51 reveals contrition as the heart-attitude that God always accepts.

2. Shape

• Remembering and loathing sin (Ezekiel 36:31).

• Broken and crushed spirit (Psalm 51:17).

3. Result

• God does not despise or reject the contrite (Psalm 51:17).

• God restores and blesses His people (Ezekiel 36:33-36).

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Why Contrition Matters

• Required for forgiveness (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).

• Marks true repentance versus mere regret (2 Corinthians 7:10).

• Invites God’s presence (Isaiah 57:15).

• Keeps worship genuine (Isaiah 1:11-17; Amos 5:21-24).

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Living Out a Contrite Heart

• Reflect regularly on the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin (Isaiah 6:1-5).

• Confess sins specifically, not generally (Psalm 32:5).

• Embrace God’s promise of cleansing (Ezekiel 36:25; Hebrews 10:22).

• Walk in humble dependence on the Spirit who produces ongoing repentance (Galatians 5:16-17).

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In Summary

Ezekiel 36:31 and Psalm 51:17 meet at the crossroads of divine grace and human humility. God grants a new heart, and that new heart responds with deep, genuine contrition—a response He never rejects and always blesses.