From the Study Guide for The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott, Chapter 1:
- Now read Psalm 51 and 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 and describe in your own words what kind of sorrow you should have and what you should think about those areas of your marriage that fall short of God’s standards.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! David wanted to be rid of his sin. He wanted to deal with it completely. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned David took responsibility for his sin. and done what is evil in your sight, David recognized that the wrongness of His sin consisted in his having offended (sinned against) God. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. David went beyond merely modifying his external behavior; he wanted a change in heart. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. David asked God to put him back spiritually to where he was before his sin occurred. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, David wanted to think again on the things the Lord had done for him, his salvation, and rejoice in them. and uphold me with a willing spirit. David asked God to give him a willing spirit to do these things. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. David focused outside of himself, to take the lessons he had learned and share them with others in hopes of leading them back to God. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Again, David emphasized the internal change that needed to come about and not merely an external performance. David needed to be broken over his sin.
9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. True sorrow over my own sin will result in my turning from it. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. Godly sorrow does not despair. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, If I have true sorrow over my sin, I will have a strong desire to deal with it. but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
