How blessed are the pure in heart! For they will see God.

Thinking about the pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy; and, the true, noble, and right

As the global Bonkers-Meter gets turned to 7-8, and FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) are thrown from every direction, I hope that this blog gives you a chance to think about, and cling to, what is really true. I appreciate the opportunity to “think about these things” with you. Thank you.

This essay is another one where I am thinking about a subject that is not, unfortunately, my expertise. I am a sinner, “ben-adam,” a son of Adam and a son of man. Growing up in the 1970s and ‘80s America, purity was substantially undervalued. We were wrong, so very wrong.

The title of this post comes from Jesus’ sermon on the mount (found in the book of Matthew, chapter 5). What a promise. It is one of Jesus’ beatitudes. A beatitude is a state of utmost bliss. And what greater bliss, than to see God!

King David of the Israelites knew about both of these. He sought God with all his heart. Yet he sinned in massive, notorious, awful fashion. A prophet called him on it. The cry of David’s heart is recorded as Psalm 51.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,  blot out the stain of my sins.
Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.
For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
But you desire honesty from the heart, teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me — now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of yehoshua [your salvation], and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.
Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

God is a just god. But He loves mercy, He loves His creation, and He loves all people, each of whom He made in His image. God did create a new heart and a renewed spirit in David. David and Bathsheba created another child, and the prophet returned to David with another message from God: “name the child Jedidiah [loved by Yahweh], for Yahweh’s sake.”

And how amazing that David cries out, “restore to me the joy of your yehoshua.” English speakers know Yehoshua, Yahweh’s salvation, as Jesus. Salvation is a healing balm, a salve; relief!

David continues, “and make me willing to obey you.” That way, the purification that God grants will stick.

One of my favorite people’s favorite musicians is Keith Green. Keith took the 51st psalm and put it to music. Here it is, for her, for me, for all of us.

Postscript: if you want more musical takes on this psalm, please see Jerome V’s comment below.