Every song he had to sing was directly to God, whether songs of joy, confusion, repentance, or desperation. This, in my opinion, is worship in its purest form. Worship doesn't always entail rapturous praise. It is just as meaningful to God when we approach Him in our darkest hour. He longs to hear of our desperate need for Him. He waits for us to abide in His presence, to recognize it and to magnify it.

Take for example David's most famous discourse, Psalm 51:

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." (v. 1-2)

Let us begin by just looking at the first two verses. The first words our of David's mouth are "have mercy on me, O God." Why? Because David needed it; he had to have it; he was dying without it. He was wallowing in the agony of his sin: the adultery with Bathsheba, endless deception, and the death of Uriah. (2 Samuel 11) David recognized that nothing he could do was penance enough. Commentator Mathew Henry states, "David does not balance his evil deeds with his good deeds, nor can he think that his services will atone for his offenses; but he flies to God's infinite mercy, and depends upon that only pardon for peace." In the eve of David's fall he recognizes the error of his ways and braces for the consequences, but then dashes for the only source of repentance and redemption, God.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalm 51:10-12)

Maybe David is beginning to fathom the wholeness of God's grace. He wants to bask in the glory of the Father, but knows as long as he dwells in sin that he will have no joy. David begs for purity, for a second chance, a clean slate; but in the same sentence asking for a renewal, a personal revival, perhaps an experience in worship. One of David's greatest fears was that God's presence would leave him, and that the Holy Spirit would abandon his heart. This must be devastating to the young King and songwriter, because it is the Holy Spirit that gives David his song. Without an indwelling of God's presence in his life, he loses his heart of worship.

How beautiful is verse twelve? "Restore to me the joy of your salvation!" Let me rephrase it: "Daddy, I want to come home. I have been away for so long, I miss you, bring be back to you." The latter part of verse twelve can be summed up with a word picture from worship leader Wes Sharp. Wes' true picture of worship is this: to be able to climb in Daddy's lap and be held by His strong, unfailing arms. "Daddy, don't let me fall." My only imaginable response from God to David is, "Welcome home, I knew you would find your way back." The joy of salvation swells our soul with worship. Being in the presence of Daddy gives us reason to rejoice.