Connect 2 Chronicles 30:19 with Psalm 51:17 on a contrite heart. Setting the Scene • 2 Chronicles 30 describes the great Passover that King Hezekiah reinstituted. • Multitudes arrived in Jerusalem without completing the required ceremonial cleansings (vv. 18–19). • Hezekiah’s prayer: “May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God…the LORD, the God of his fathers, even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary” (2 Chronicles 30:19). • Psalm 51 records David’s repentance after his sin with Bathsheba. He confesses, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Contrition Defined: “Sets His Heart” • In both passages the heart is central. – Hezekiah speaks of the one who “sets his heart on seeking God.” – David speaks of a “broken and…contrite heart.” • Hebrew root for “contrite” (dâkâʾ) means “crushed” or “pulverized.” The idea is complete humility before God. • True worship, then as now, begins internally—an earnest, repentant orientation toward the Lord. Outward Ritual vs. Inward Reality • 2 Chronicles 30: Ritual purity was lacking, yet God accepted the worshipers because their hearts were right. • Psalm 51: David had offered countless literal sacrifices, but he understood God wanted something deeper—brokenness over sin. • The Law prescribed external sacrifices (Leviticus 1–7), yet Scripture never treats these as ends in themselves (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11–18). What God Saw Then and Sees Now • God pardoned (Hebrew sālach) the Passover worshipers (2 Chronicles 30:18–20). • God promised never to despise a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). • The LORD consistently looks past ceremony to humble dependence (Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; Micah 6:6–8). Grace on Display • Hezekiah’s petition was immediately answered: “The LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people” (2 Chronicles 30:20). • David likewise received assurance: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12). • Both cases showcase grace preceding merit—the worshiper brings nothing but repentance. New Testament Echoes • Tax collector’s prayer: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” went home justified (Luke 18:13–14). • “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:8–10). • Ultimate fulfillment: Christ, “our Passover Lamb,” cleanses all who come contritely to Him (1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 9:14). Living It Out Today • Examine: Ask, “Is my heart truly set on seeking God?” (2 Chronicles 30:19). • Confess: Bring sin into the light, trusting God “is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9). • Depend: Lean on Christ’s finished work, not personal performance (Ephesians 2:8–9). • Worship: Engage in corporate and private worship with humility, letting outward forms flow from inward surrender. A contrite heart—humble, broken, and earnestly fixed on the Lord—remains the worship God gladly receives, from Hezekiah’s Passover to this very moment. |
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