Godly Sorrow: The First Step to Real Repentance

Al Felder
May 24, 2025
2 min read

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”— Psalm 51:17

Psalm 51 offers a rare and raw look at genuine sorrow before God in a world that downplays guilt and dismisses sin. This psalm, written by King David after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, reminds us that forgiveness begins with Godly sorrow, not just regret, but a deep awareness of sinning against the holy and loving God.

The Difference Between Godly and Worldly Sorrow

The Bible distinguishes between two kinds of sorrow:

Worldly sorrow focuses on self: the shame of being caught, the loss of reputation, or the consequences faced.
Godly sorrow centers on God: the grief of having offended Him, the pain of breaking His heart.

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation... but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” — 2 Corinthians 7:10

David cried, “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4). Though he sinned against others, he recognized the ultimate offense was against God Himself.

The Gospel’s Pattern for Producing Godly Sorrow

Nathan the prophet rebuked David by reminding him of:

God’s love (what He had done for David)
David’s sin
The consequences of that sin

The gospel follows this same pattern:

It shows us God's love in Christ.
It convicts us of our sin.
It warns of eternal consequences.

“The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” — Romans 2:4

Misunderstood Scripture: Psalm 51:5

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity...”

This verse is often misused to teach that children are born sinful. But Psalm 51 is poetic and personal. David isn’t blaming God for his actions. He’s confessing how deeply he had become immersed in a sinful world. The Bible teaches that sin is the result of personal choices, not inheritance (Romans 3:23; 1 John 3:4).

The Right Response to Conviction

When we are truly convicted, like David, we must:

Acknowledge our sin (Psalm 51:3)
Appeal to God’s mercy (Psalm 51:1)
Ask for cleansing (Psalm 51:7)
Seek a renewed heart (Psalm 51:10)

Even though God forgave David, the consequences remained. His family suffered greatly. This reminds us that while forgiveness is free, sin often leaves pain and scars, especially on those closest to us.

Let Sorrow Lead to Transformation

Godly sorrow isn’t meant to paralyze us—it’s meant to lead us to a changed life:

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you... Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep.” — James 4:8–9

It helps us:

Stay humble
Show mercy to others (Matthew 5:7)
Appreciate God’s grace more fully

Why Godly Sorrow Matters

Until we see the seriousness of our sin, we’ll never appreciate the magnitude of God’s mercy. And until we understand His mercy, we won’t be able to extend it to others.

The gospel doesn’t ask us to ignore guilt—it calls us to confront it with humility and respond with brokenness that leads to renewal.