CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART

 

                               

The little white ermine in his spotless coat permits nothing to soil it.’ well-acquitted with this fact hunters take an advantage of him. They do not set traps but daub filth within and around the entrance to his home. When the dogs are set lose the chase begins, the little animal turns to his one place of refuge. But on seeing the filth turns to face the yelping dogs, thinking it’s better to die than to soil his white coat.

Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful songs of David. It’s intensely personal, between David and God (note the frequent “I” and “me”). He says that God knows absolutely everything about him! He knows all his thoughts, actions and words (vv. 2-4). God is intimately acquainted with all his ways! One of the greatest truths in life is that there is no escape from God. Like fugitives, we may run, but we cannot ultimately hide from the God who penetrates even the darkness with the gaze of His light. If we manage to dodge Him in this life, we must still stand exposed before Him on that fearful Day of Judgment. There is no place to hide from God (Heb. 4:12).

David was a valiant general and a gifted psalm writer but the thing that impressed God about him was his heart. He said to Samuel “the Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7). God said “I have found David the son of Jesse a man after my heart who will carry out my will (Acts 13:22). God focused on his character more than physical stature. He concentrated on his integrity and not just outward looks.

After praising the God who is unlimited in knowledge and power, David concludes Psalm 139 with a prayer. In Verses 23-24 he requests “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me  and lead me  in the way everlasting”.  In this prayer David focuses on his inner person because he knows that ultimately it’s what matters most to God. Elsewhere In Psalm 26:2 he says “test me Lord and try me, examine my heart and my mind.”

It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself. In Psalm 19:12 David cries out “who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults NKJV”. Life is a process of coming to know ourselves. But, as Jeremiah 17: 9-10 says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately wicked; who can understand it?   Verse 10 says “I the Lord search the heart; I test the conscience even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doing”. Our motives and inner drives can only be revealed to us by God.

Proverbs 27:19 says “as in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man. Who we are will be evident to others as our words and actions reveal our heart. Our life is visible and our words are audible to others and to ourselves but our hearts are neither. We can be white washed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead bones (Matt.23:27-28). We shall finally be judged by our motives, this count more with God than what we do or say. Every action of our life is judged from the motive, real intents and secret reasons which dictated it.

If we desire to grow we must desire to face our shortcomings and imperfections.  David’s prayer is “reveal me to myself”. How does God do this, he uses his word. The Bible is a mirror (James 1:24), it reflects the spiritual condition of a man.  The Bible clearly states what God expects of man giving illustrations and examples of the consequences of actions in the lives of those who lived before us for us to learn from(1 Cor.10:11). Spending time on the mirror is a choice, we can use it or not. We may also decide to do nothing about what the mirror reveals.

The word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12).  The word diagnoses the condition of man with a surgeon’s precision. It lays open the heart accurately discerning spiritual health.  The best and most enduring change comes into our life when we are transformed. As we spend time beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory (2Cor 3:18).

Psalms 119 list the many functions of the word of God to a believer. If we hide God’s word in our heart and delight in it; it keeps us away from sin v.11. It is a rich source of counsel and guidance, vv 23,105, 130. It preserves our life v.93. It gives us peace and security v.165. The Holy Spirit works through the word , he brings to mind the right Scripture when we need either  comfort, teaching, rebuke, correction or training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).

Paul told the Philippians that it is God” who is at work in you both to will and to do his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). Peter wrote “his divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Our creator has put in place all that we require to live godly lives. This comes as we get to know him and his exceedingly great and precious promises (2 Pet. 1:3-4).

David wants God to discover things that are unpleasant and unrighteous not to simply know about himself, but that he might get rid of them and walk in God’s everlasting way. He has a sincere desire to please God in all ways and at all times, so that he stands approved in God’s sight.  David does not want to be just shown the ways he wants to be led. “Lead me,” suggest two Things; he cannot see the way, it also signifies powerlessness to walk in the way everlasting without the help.

This prayer is based also on the confidence that God can and will cast out all the evil that He discovers in us. If we wish this prayer to be answered, we must be prepared to walk in “the way everlasting.” God will lead us into the everlasting way, partly by making  our conscience more sensitive to sin and partly by strengthening our feet to run in the paths of holiness. He can also make us able to see our hidden sin so that we repent.

When God’s Word exposes where we are wrong, we must submit to the Lord and walk in His way. “Lead me in the way everlasting” indicates complete unreserved surrender to the divine will.  Such surrender and resolve results in a God -controlled, and a God - guided life which is the ultimate in the Christian living. If we truly give our lives in full surrender to the Lord and be willing to follow, he will do a complete work and lead us all the way.

Proverbs 4:23 says “guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life”. Jesus said that blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God (Matt 5:8). They will see the hand of God in the circumstances of life. They will see his hand in their everyday experience; they will see him reveal himself in new ways every day.  They will see God as he lives his life through them.

In Isaiah 35:8 we read “A highway shall be there and it shall be called the highway of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it …whoever walks the road, although a fool shall not go astray”. Even though God’s work in us is not complete yet he will keep us from falling off as he develops the wisdom and maturity in us that will also keep us on the highway. Walking in the way everlasting means a holy life, a fearless death and an everlasting life in heaven to crown it all.