Psalm 51:10-17
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12 (NIV)
“Create in me a pure heart, O God” seems so straightforward and even dare I say, simplistic. But digging deeper into who wrote this and when is … interesting.
King David had just impregnated Bathsheba (a married woman) and instead of fessing up, he tried to get her husband, Uriah, to go home so the baby could be claimed as his. When that didn’t work, the King sent Uriah to the battlefront with explicit instructions to leave him unprotected so he would be killed. Not exactly “Christian” behavior.
With that knowledge, my sins seem benign. I bet yours do too.
But the reality is, even the smallest of acts (or non-acts) have long-term and far-reaching consequences. Like the proverbial ripple on the pond, one small act can bump into others.
While losing my cool in a long grocery store line doesn’t seem as heinous as sending an innocent man to death, it does impact me and others. My tirade doesn’t actually help me, and it certainly doesn’t make the cashier’s already bad day any better. It doesn’t help the young man who was having a pretty good day who now feels a little blah – maybe he doesn’t even know why. Or the little girl who was excited to be at the store with Grandma is now not feeling all that excited. And all those people will go back and interact with other people. My negativity has been spread.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God.”
Rolling my eyes and mumbling, “Get a job” at the person with the sign standing at the corner dehumanizes them (and me). Especially when I regularly donate clothes, food, and money to help the unhoused. What’s the difference between the person on the corner and the unseen people I give my donations to?
“Renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Do you know the most amazing thing about all this? God forgives it all – if I but ask.
Psalm 51:10-17 was written by King David as an act of repentance. He knew he’d really messed up and is begging God to forgive him. And God granted it. Think about that for a moment – a man who slept with a married woman and then successfully had her husband killed was forgiven!
“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”
God continued to bless David. And to love him. Just as God blesses and loves us.
All we need to do is ask.
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Questions for Reflection:
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What have I done or not done that I need to purify my heart?
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What can I do to renew my spirit?
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How do I find restoration in the joy of Jesus Christ?
Prayer
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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