0521. The Soul's Desire

The Soul’s Desire

"Create in me a clean heart, O God;

"And renew a right spirit within me.

"Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;

"And uphold me with Thy free Spirit" (Psa_51:10,Psa_51:12).

There are four things which David sought from the Lord, as expressed in these two verses.

1. "Create in me a clean heart." David is not praying here that the "old nature" may be changed. He seems to fully realize that what he needed, was a heart created of God, and clean. David wanted a life within, which was born not after the flesh. He wanted a life within, which was not shapen in iniquity. He sought a clean heart, not conceived by his mother, but created of God.

Let us forever cease to expect anything from the old man. Let us, the rather, put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness. This is what David did.

2. "Renew a right spirit within me." What David wanted was a spirit that was steadfast and true, a spirit that would not yield to every prompting of his carnal nature.

The reason Israel sinned was because her heart was not right with God. She was not steadfast in His covenant. David yearned for a heart that is fixed, trusting in the Lord; for a heart that was established in the Lord, and that would not be afraid.

3. "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation." David wanted to get back where he could sing, as he used to sing. He wanted to rejoice again in the Lord, and to joy once more in the God of his salvation. David knew full well that joy was not dependent upon circumstances, or environment. One can joy and rejoice in a prison cell; one can shout and sing in the desert; one can even make music to the Lord at a martyr’s stake; but no saint can rejoice while there is unforgiven sin in his life.

4. "Uphold me with Thy free Spirit." David yearned for that place of fellowship with God, where he had a freedom of spirit. He wanted to be upheld in a joyous, glad and happy obedience. He wanted to get out of "mile number one," and into "mile number two." He wanted no more of legality he wanted the life of love.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR