Remorse over our sin is the Spirit of God inviting us to repentance. How we respond to that conviction is important. In Psalm 51, we read David’s remorse over his sin with Bathsheba. He feels the pain of how sin separates us from God, yet he expresses remorse and seeks forgiveness. He wants to again experience the joy of God’s salvation.
It appears David remembers all too vividly the consequences of Saul’s sin. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul disobeyed God and kept some the best spoils of the battle with the Amelekites. He then sought to justify his action by offering some of the spoils as a sacrifice to God. “But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal (verse 21).” To which Samuel, the prophet of God, responded: “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams (verse 22).”
David made a direct reference to this in Psalm 51:16-17: “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” David knew humbling himself before God with a repentant heart was what God sought from him. He also saw how Saul’s sin cost him.
Because of Saul’s disobedience to God, “the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him (1 Samuel 16:14).” Saul was without the presence of the Holy Spirit. “Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: ‘I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions (1 Samuel 15:11).’”
In his youth, David was a target of the torment Saul felt: “But an evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape (1 Samuel 19:9-10).”
Even though he sinned, David’s heart still longed for God’s presence. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:11-12).” He does not want his heart to go hard against God. David showed the importance of a repentant heart, a deep desire to know the joy of God’s salvation; the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God, and a desire to obey Him.
© 2024, Chris G. Thelen
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. ” – Genesis 4:6-7, NASB
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. – Psalm 51:1-4
140 Character Christian 
“Remorse over our sin is the Spirit of God inviting us to repentance.”
I like that explanation, and the contrast it presents with repentance. We see in the Bible that some had remorse (Saul, Judas), and God’s Word proves later that they did not enter His presence. God invited them (remorse), but they did not repent.
Judas is another good example. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Blessings.