PSALM 51:7-12

Let us continue to walk down through Psalm 51 of which we have entitled ‘The Sinner’s Guide To Repentance’. I want to look today at verses 7-12 and ‘The Asking Of The Repentant’.

            In verse 7 I am confronted with ‘The Asking For Spiritual Sanctification’. David asked to be purged, cleansed, and washed whiter than snow. The word purged means to take away that which has caused one to miss the mark and thus not hit the bull’s eye. The word cleanse means to be ceremonially clean thus accepted within the congregation. The word wash means to perform the job of the fuller or soap maker. He makes all as white as snow. This is a great step of faith on David’s part after the awful sin he has committed to think that our God can work such as this in our sanctification.  I was fascinated with one element of this sanctification in the phrase, ‘Purge me with hyssop’. Hyssop grew everywhere in those days. It would be nothing to pick some and purge ones self. This hyssop of grace is grown nowhere but in our Lord’s heavenly garden of sanctification.

            Let us now turn out attention of study to verses 8-11 and ‘The Asking For Spiritual Standing’. It is in these verses David does not come as the prodigal and ask to be but a hired servant. He asks to be restored to the standing he first had as a child of God. Joy and gladness are for the most part felt, but here David asks that he may hear them. When God speaks pardon and forgiveness to the true repentant he hears it before he feels it.  Because of sin God has broken all that David holds to be his security. He now asks the Lord to put it back together just like it was before it was broken. Oh, how our God will often hurt that He might help. He breaks that he might put back together if we but simply give Him all the pieces.

            In verse 9 he extends the request for his standing. He asks God not to look at his sin.  He knows if God looks He will only burn with wrath and anger. He repeats the request of verse 1 with but one addition. He asked before for God to blot out his transgression and he now adds the word ‘all’. If God does not blot them all out He will have to hide His face from us for all eternity. I bless His name that all my sins are gone.

            In verse 10 he does not ask for his old heart to be clean. David knows this is what got him in this state. Create in me a clean heart or literally put within me the very nature of God. Create anew what wasn’t there and renew again what has grown feeble because of sin.

            Lord, don’t cast me away if only you let me be the doorkeeper. That will be standing enough. Don’t take your Spirit from me. Let me have His counsel and comfort. I am a dead man without them. Oh, what a standing sin took from David. No wonder he wants it back.

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