Post by Les on Jun 21, 2022 15:14:14 GMT
Clean on the Inside By: Chris Wale
Click here for the Audio Message
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Psalm 51
“Let your fingers be clean, and your fingernails wellgroomed,” I read. “Do not touch your ears or nose with your bare hands.” I wasn’t working through the latest advice from the NHS, but rather reading some quotes from a translation of Les Contenances de Table, a thirteenth-century text on table manners for medieval Europe. While it seems we’ve always had guidelines to help us maintain physical cleanliness, our spiritual cleanliness is literally out of our hands; something King David knew all too well for himself.
After David was confronted about his affair with another man’s wife, he realised there wasn’t a sacrifice or good deed that could clean the stain of sin in his heart (Psalm 51:16). What could he do? He got on his knees: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit” (v. 17).
David knew that through his selfish actions he had sinned against God (v. 4) and that God was the only One who could forgive, restore and cleanse his heart. In humility he asked: “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (v. 2).
No matter how messy our hearts become, David’s prayer shows that it’s not up to us to try and clean ourselves. Rather our role is to humbly and honestly confess our sins to God (v. 3) so that He alone can wash us “whiter than snow” (v. 7).
Reflect & Pray
What reassurance does King David’s prayer give you that God stands ready to forgive and cleanse you from even your worst sins?
Heavenly Father, You know my sin and the uncleanness I feel within my own heart. I kneel humbly before You now to confess my wrongdoing and to receive Your wonderful, restorative grace.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
David wrote Psalm 51 in repentance for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba; his deliberate actions that led to the death of her husband, Uriah; and ultimately his sin against God (v. 4). Psalm 32, also penned by David, is similar in that here too he writes from his own experience on the pain of unconfessed sin and of the blessing of repentance. Even as Christians we will sin—and sometimes again and again. At such times, if we stubbornly refuse to confess our sins, we feel the effects of the sin eating away at us spiritually, mentally and physically ( vv. 3–4). Why? Not because we’ve lost our salvation, but because we’ve driven a wedge between us and our holy God. When we come to God in sorrow for our sins and receive His forgiveness, the “joy of [our] salvation”—the joy of being in an intimate relationship with God—is restored (51:12; see 32:1–2). In both psalms, David illustrates that confession and repentance lead to God’s forgiveness, which leads to a restored relationship, which leads to great joy—and enables us to sing! (32:11).
Alyson Kieda
Psalm 51
King James Version
51 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Click here for the Audio Message
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Psalm 51
“Let your fingers be clean, and your fingernails wellgroomed,” I read. “Do not touch your ears or nose with your bare hands.” I wasn’t working through the latest advice from the NHS, but rather reading some quotes from a translation of Les Contenances de Table, a thirteenth-century text on table manners for medieval Europe. While it seems we’ve always had guidelines to help us maintain physical cleanliness, our spiritual cleanliness is literally out of our hands; something King David knew all too well for himself.
After David was confronted about his affair with another man’s wife, he realised there wasn’t a sacrifice or good deed that could clean the stain of sin in his heart (Psalm 51:16). What could he do? He got on his knees: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit” (v. 17).
David knew that through his selfish actions he had sinned against God (v. 4) and that God was the only One who could forgive, restore and cleanse his heart. In humility he asked: “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (v. 2).
No matter how messy our hearts become, David’s prayer shows that it’s not up to us to try and clean ourselves. Rather our role is to humbly and honestly confess our sins to God (v. 3) so that He alone can wash us “whiter than snow” (v. 7).
Reflect & Pray
What reassurance does King David’s prayer give you that God stands ready to forgive and cleanse you from even your worst sins?
Heavenly Father, You know my sin and the uncleanness I feel within my own heart. I kneel humbly before You now to confess my wrongdoing and to receive Your wonderful, restorative grace.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
David wrote Psalm 51 in repentance for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba; his deliberate actions that led to the death of her husband, Uriah; and ultimately his sin against God (v. 4). Psalm 32, also penned by David, is similar in that here too he writes from his own experience on the pain of unconfessed sin and of the blessing of repentance. Even as Christians we will sin—and sometimes again and again. At such times, if we stubbornly refuse to confess our sins, we feel the effects of the sin eating away at us spiritually, mentally and physically ( vv. 3–4). Why? Not because we’ve lost our salvation, but because we’ve driven a wedge between us and our holy God. When we come to God in sorrow for our sins and receive His forgiveness, the “joy of [our] salvation”—the joy of being in an intimate relationship with God—is restored (51:12; see 32:1–2). In both psalms, David illustrates that confession and repentance lead to God’s forgiveness, which leads to a restored relationship, which leads to great joy—and enables us to sing! (32:11).
Alyson Kieda
Psalm 51
King James Version
51 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.