Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2)
There is a tradition that says the prophet Nathan did not go to confront David until some time after he had sinned in the affair with Bathsheba and Uriah. Some commentators record that it may have been as much as a year after these awful events. If that is so, then it would mean that for an extended period of time, David did not acknowledge his sin. And if that is the case, it would suggest he justified his actions in some manner, thus avoiding the internal confrontation that occurs when we are under conviction for a misdeed. In other words, in spite of his great spiritual attributes, David was very human — like the rest of us.
The importance of looking at this is to see how our sins — David uses the word transgression and iniquity — affects our soul. Some of our deeds are unintentional; we sin out of ignorance and when awakened to our error, we are quick to repent. Then there are those things that we do intentionally — those things that we rationalize in our minds even though we know it is wrong. When we commit these deliberate actions, and then continue in them, it is like dirt that penetrates fabric; it is not easily removed. Deep stains such as these must be removed by repeated, thorough laundering. That seems to be what David insinuates when he says: “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.”
Our unintentional mistakes can be addressed quickly and, maybe, without a lot of soul searching. Our intentional sins, on the other hand, are evidence of something deep within us that needs to be purged from our lives. What is inside of us that would make us do something that we know to be wrong? Though born again, we still reside in a corruptible body that is capable of ungodly things. Recognizing our problem and confessing it to God is the first step toward being cleansed of the stain.
Repentance, followed by the sanctification and cleansing that come by “the washing of water by the word” transforms a tainted soul into one that is determined to follow God’s instructions no matter what. Furthermore, we have the Holy Spirit to teach us, convict us and help us in our weaknesses. Take a moment and consider just how much our Father cares for us in that He is quick to forgive us and cleanse us from those things that would separate us from His Presence. As David acknowledged, even in our failures, He is merciful, loving and kind.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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