Psalm 51:1-19
The woman caught in adultery had desires that she assumed could be met in the arms of men. Then she encountered her Savior and discovered the truth. She was hungering for all the wrong things. She needed not just forgiveness from her past deeds, but a whole new future. With her accusers standing before her, about to destroy her with heavy stones of judgment, she had neither the power nor creativity to forge a bright future.
The psalmist’s request for God to create a new heart is first and foremost a confession that what we truly need can only be built within us by God. A pure heart is more than just a good washing out of the old. It’s no mere strengthening of our own powers or aiding of our own natural weaknesses.
A “pure heart” constructed by God is one that becomes God’s permanent residence. A “steadfast” desire to love as Jesus loves becomes what God creates within us.
Author: Kevin Hancock