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Day 118

Psalm 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean..."

Day 118 – Psalm 51

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean…” Psalm 51:7

THE SEARCH FOR CLEANSING

David began the writing of his penitential psalm with an expressed desire to be made clean. We recall those plaintive words.

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:2

Once again, David took up this cry, seeking cleansing from the Lord. How may we understand the following text?

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7

1. God’s Part in Pardoning Sin

a) The pardon of our sin is a single judicial act of God.
b) God declares the sinner absolved from his sin.
c) The sin is considered washed away.
d) The slate is wiped clean.

2. Man’s Part in Comprehending Cleansing

a) He needs to grapple with this intellectually.
b) He also needs to feel cleansed.
c) He needs to see the results of having been cleansed by God.

3. Clean… whiter than snow

a) God’s promise of full and complete cleansing is declared (Isaiah 1:18).
b) David struggled with the need for full assurance that he has indeed been cleansed.
c) The need for complete assurance caused David to repeat his cry to God for full cleansing.

It also expresses his desire to have a fully restored relationship with God.