Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
It is the prayer of a guilty king after his sin was exposed, who in remorse and self-loathing confessed without delay and sought mercy, pardon and cleansing while acknowledging God's justice. The purging with hyssop recalls its use in sprinkling for the unclean, the leper and one defiled by the dead, pointing to the thorough and complete purification a repentant sinner needs. To be washed whiter than snow asks not only for pardon but for inward purity, a soul made completely clean and restored to holiness and communion with God. That cleansing is made effective only by God through Christ's atoning blood applied to the heart by faith, with the Holy Spirit making the person clean and holy. No one needs to wait to become good enough before coming to God, and the promise that He can make the sinful soul clean and white as snow is assurance and comfort to all who feel their need.
David's Repentance and Plea
The prayer belongs to the time after great wrongdoing was exposed by reproof, when guilt was confessed, divine justice acknowledged, and mercy, pardon and cleansing sought without delay in remorse and self-loathing as a humbled king trusting God as his best friend. It asks according to loving-kindness and tender mercy for transgression to be blotted out and iniquity thoroughly washed away, so that joy and gladness may be restored and hope of pardon found through Christ. The course taught there is the course to follow after departing from the Lord, showing penitence and humility that value divine favor above a crown.
Contrition was as profound as guilt, bowing under sharp chastisement through the prophet without stubborn resistance, rebellion against reproof, hatred for the prophet, or loss of confidence in God. There was no cherishing of resistance to the expressed divine will, but sincere penitence, reliance on the mercy of the God loved and served and honored, trust in God more than in man, refusal of counsel that sins against God, and acceptance of the divine decision as just and merciful. Because much was forgiven, much was loved, and perfection is not the ground of being beloved but a penitent return from great error. The favor of God was counted more precious than all else, even a crown, with trust that the Lord hears, knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and helps in every time of temptation. That cleansing is still extended to the sinner who returns from wandering and heeds the pleading voice of the Spirit, sought in penitence and humiliation without delay.
Instead of concealing guilt, the fall, repentance and hope of pardon through divine mercy were openly published as a sacred song for public assemblies, in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, so that others to the latest generation might be instructed by the sad history. The knowledge of the fall was thus preserved, confessing openly what could have been hidden. Hyssop in the plea is the symbol of purification, recalling its use in sprinkling for the unclean, for cleansing a leper and one defiled by contact with the dead, as in the sprinkling of blood. The repeated sprinklings point to the thorough, complete work needed for a repentant sinner, a washing until clean.
To be purged and washed whiter than snow asks not only for pardon but for inward purity, for the soul recognizes its defilement and longs to be thoroughly cleansed, made completely clean and pure, and restored to holiness and communion with God. It is a personal, earnest plea that the heart be cleansed from impurity so as to be accepted by God. The prayer for cleansing belongs with contrition and desire for inward truth and wisdom, as the heart work that begins personal consecration. It continues by asking for a clean heart to be created, a right spirit to be renewed, the continued presence of the Holy Spirit to be preserved, and the joy of salvation to be restored, upheld by the divine Spirit. Those so cleansed and restored then teach the divine ways in the household and beyond, so that transgressors and sinners may be converted and turn.
Cleansing Through Christ's Blood
The purging with hyssop and washing whiter than snow is cleansing from sin that God alone can effect, made effective through Christ's atoning blood applied to the heart by faith, with the Spirit of the Lord making the person clean and holy, for Christ's blood alone can make the sinner whiter than snow. The hyssop recalls the sprinkling ceremony for the unclean, and the washing describes thorough cleansing, with the repeated sprinklings pointing to the complete work needed for a repentant sinner, a cleansing that comes through Christ's blood and must be applied continually. Humble repentance and confession belong with this cleansing and purity sought from God.
Sin is moral leprosy and filthy garments, from which the sinner needs complete washing and removal of defilement, and Christ's blood cleanses from all sin, making the repentant person clean when forgiveness is sought from God by faith in Christ's blood. No one needs to wait to become good enough or try to make himself better before coming to God, because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. The prayer for God to purge and wash the sinner clean can therefore be made by anyone while coming to Christ.
The promise that God can cleanse the sinner and make him clean and pure, white as snow, is assurance and comfort to one who feels sinful and needs to come to God for forgiveness. The lessons of the psalm must be practiced and not merely professed, for God's people need cleansing and purity to appear in words, spirit, and character, since merely nominal profession leaves them unlike Christ, weakens power with God, and makes influence worthless. Sincere repentance and confession toward God with faith in Jesus Christ are accepted even though the transgressor still suffers for the transgression, for God forgave penitent and humble David and restored him to covenant relation. Through all ages this gives encouragement to despairing children of God betrayed into sin amid struggle and temptation to take courage under the burden of guilt, repent, try again, and walk in the way of God's commandments.
Cleansing from sin is needed before a person can be clean, and the heart's prayer for purging and washing belongs with contrition and desire for inward truth and wisdom, continuing as a plea for a clean heart, a renewed right spirit, the continued presence of the Holy Spirit, preservation in His presence, and restoration of the joy of salvation. This heart work is the beginning of personal consecration and faithful work for the conversion of one's household. Those who receive cleansing, forgiveness, and restored joy, upheld by His Spirit, are then called to teach God's ways and His way to transgressors and sinners so that they may be converted and turn to Him.
It is the prayer of a guilty king after his sin was exposed, who in remorse and self-loathing confessed without delay and sought mercy, pardon and cleansing while acknowledging God's justice. The purging with hyssop recalls its use in sprinkling for the unclean, the leper and one defiled by the dead, pointing to the thorough and complete purification a repentant sinner needs. To be washed whiter than snow asks not only for pardon but for inward purity, a soul made completely clean and restored to holiness and communion with God. That cleansing is made effective only by God through Christ's atoning blood applied to the heart by faith, with the Holy Spirit making the person clean and holy. No one needs to wait to become good enough before coming to God, and the promise that He can make the sinful soul clean and white as snow is assurance and comfort to all who feel their need.
David's Repentance and Plea
The prayer belongs to the time after great wrongdoing was exposed by reproof, when guilt was confessed, divine justice acknowledged, and mercy, pardon and cleansing sought without delay in remorse and self-loathing as a humbled king trusting God as his best friend. It asks according to loving-kindness and tender mercy for transgression to be blotted out and iniquity thoroughly washed away, so that joy and gladness may be restored and hope of pardon found through Christ. The course taught there is the course to follow after departing from the Lord, showing penitence and humility that value divine favor above a crown.
Contrition was as profound as guilt, bowing under sharp chastisement through the prophet without stubborn resistance, rebellion against reproof, hatred for the prophet, or loss of confidence in God. There was no cherishing of resistance to the expressed divine will, but sincere penitence, reliance on the mercy of the God loved and served and honored, trust in God more than in man, refusal of counsel that sins against God, and acceptance of the divine decision as just and merciful. Because much was forgiven, much was loved, and perfection is not the ground of being beloved but a penitent return from great error. The favor of God was counted more precious than all else, even a crown, with trust that the Lord hears, knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and helps in every time of temptation. That cleansing is still extended to the sinner who returns from wandering and heeds the pleading voice of the Spirit, sought in penitence and humiliation without delay.
Instead of concealing guilt, the fall, repentance and hope of pardon through divine mercy were openly published as a sacred song for public assemblies, in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, so that others to the latest generation might be instructed by the sad history. The knowledge of the fall was thus preserved, confessing openly what could have been hidden. Hyssop in the plea is the symbol of purification, recalling its use in sprinkling for the unclean, for cleansing a leper and one defiled by contact with the dead, as in the sprinkling of blood. The repeated sprinklings point to the thorough, complete work needed for a repentant sinner, a washing until clean.
To be purged and washed whiter than snow asks not only for pardon but for inward purity, for the soul recognizes its defilement and longs to be thoroughly cleansed, made completely clean and pure, and restored to holiness and communion with God. It is a personal, earnest plea that the heart be cleansed from impurity so as to be accepted by God. The prayer for cleansing belongs with contrition and desire for inward truth and wisdom, as the heart work that begins personal consecration. It continues by asking for a clean heart to be created, a right spirit to be renewed, the continued presence of the Holy Spirit to be preserved, and the joy of salvation to be restored, upheld by the divine Spirit. Those so cleansed and restored then teach the divine ways in the household and beyond, so that transgressors and sinners may be converted and turn.
Cleansing Through Christ's Blood
The purging with hyssop and washing whiter than snow is cleansing from sin that God alone can effect, made effective through Christ's atoning blood applied to the heart by faith, with the Spirit of the Lord making the person clean and holy, for Christ's blood alone can make the sinner whiter than snow. The hyssop recalls the sprinkling ceremony for the unclean, and the washing describes thorough cleansing, with the repeated sprinklings pointing to the complete work needed for a repentant sinner, a cleansing that comes through Christ's blood and must be applied continually. Humble repentance and confession belong with this cleansing and purity sought from God.
Sin is moral leprosy and filthy garments, from which the sinner needs complete washing and removal of defilement, and Christ's blood cleanses from all sin, making the repentant person clean when forgiveness is sought from God by faith in Christ's blood. No one needs to wait to become good enough or try to make himself better before coming to God, because the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. The prayer for God to purge and wash the sinner clean can therefore be made by anyone while coming to Christ.
The promise that God can cleanse the sinner and make him clean and pure, white as snow, is assurance and comfort to one who feels sinful and needs to come to God for forgiveness. The lessons of the psalm must be practiced and not merely professed, for God's people need cleansing and purity to appear in words, spirit, and character, since merely nominal profession leaves them unlike Christ, weakens power with God, and makes influence worthless. Sincere repentance and confession toward God with faith in Jesus Christ are accepted even though the transgressor still suffers for the transgression, for God forgave penitent and humble David and restored him to covenant relation. Through all ages this gives encouragement to despairing children of God betrayed into sin amid struggle and temptation to take courage under the burden of guilt, repent, try again, and walk in the way of God's commandments.
Cleansing from sin is needed before a person can be clean, and the heart's prayer for purging and washing belongs with contrition and desire for inward truth and wisdom, continuing as a plea for a clean heart, a renewed right spirit, the continued presence of the Holy Spirit, preservation in His presence, and restoration of the joy of salvation. This heart work is the beginning of personal consecration and faithful work for the conversion of one's household. Those who receive cleansing, forgiveness, and restored joy, upheld by His Spirit, are then called to teach God's ways and His way to transgressors and sinners so that they may be converted and turn to Him.