Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. Psalm 51:14

Very few people, out of the billions on the earth, are guilty of physically murdering or killing another person. Most people have thought to want to kill someone, but most never go through with it. There are also many who have physically killed someone, some of whom have been caught and punished, and others who have never been caught yet. The only way the world sees murder as murder, is when someone physically kills someone else.

David asked God to deliver him from the guilt of bloodshed so that he could sing of His righteousness. In this passage, David was guilty of physically killing another man. He admitted his guilt and asked God to cleanse him of the sin.

While the world only looks at physical murder as a guilt of murder, God looks at things differently. He begins with physical murder but extends it to the thoughts of murder. Jesus would much later state that to even think of murdering someone is the same as doing it.

Very few people have never had someone that they were angry enough with to wish that the person would die somehow. In God’s eyes, this is the same as physically murdering the person. There is still a guilt of bloodshed, even though physically no blood was shed.

Believers need to be careful and take into captivity every thought and every idle word. Every thought or spoken word is heard by God, both good and bad. These words and thoughts will be judged by God at some point.

The good news is that is one of the many reasons why Jesus died upon the cross–to take away the guilt of ALL sin. As the believer repents of bloodshed, God will forgive.

Hopefully you have never physically murdered someone, but most likely you are guilty of wishing someone dead at some point. Whether physically or with words, God is ready and willing to forgive you and remove your guilt. He wants you to have life so that you can sing of His righteousness, love and mercy upon your life.

Seek God for forgiveness and strength to keep your thoughts under control in His righteousness and holiness. Then sing praises of His righteousness and holiness.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will repent of any sins against God you have done; that you will allow God to change your mind to speak His words of life; and that you will sing of His righteousness for all the world to hear.

Picture by Ben White on Unsplash