Whiter than Snow (Psalm 51:7-17)
In January 1996, I flew to Montreal for some mission work; it was cold—40 below zero (that’s the point where Fahrenheit and Celsius meet). My trip was great, but getting home was an absolute nightmare. My flight was delayed several hours, and by the time I left Montreal for Cincinnati, the Blizzard of 1996 was underway.
When we arrived in Cincinnati airspace, the airport was closed due to snow. Our plane circled Cincinnati until we were low on fuel, and we were diverted to Dayton. Dayton only serviced domestic flights, which meant no Customs, which meant we couldn’t leave the plane. After several hours on the tarmac at Dayton, we headed for Cincinnati. After we landed in the blinding snow, I ran through the airport to make my connecting flight to Lexington—it turned out to be the last flight to Lexington for a few days.
Plows had to clear the runway in Lexington so that we could land safely. I got off the plane, grabbed my luggage, hugged Mom and Dad, but now Dad had a problem—driving us the 30 miles home in nearly a foot of snow. You can be to the house where I was raised to Bluegrass Field in about 45 minutes, but that night the drive took over two hours. Dad had to stay in the tracks made by the vehicles in front of us to know where he was going. We made it home safely that night, but we didn’t go anywhere for a few days.
I don’t think anyone of you would wish to drive in a foot of snow in Houston Metro! As disruptive as snow can be, snow is beautiful and creates wonderful memories. Maybe you remember building a snowman as a kid or helping your children build a snowman. You might’ve had a snowball fight with friends or with your children. Perhaps you remember the thrill of getting a snow day when you were in school.
David wanted a snow day. His life was a mess—he was an adulterer and a murderer. He lived with his sin around nine months, until Nathan the prophet confronted him. David fell prostrate before God and repented. As he fell in repentance before God, David demonstrated: “God cleanses from sin.”
David never actually said “God cleanses from sin” in Psalm 51. However, it makes absolutely no sense for David to appeal for divine cleansing unless God actually cleanses.
Scripture (Psalm 51:7-17)
verse 7:
David wished to be purged with hyssop. When a leper was cleansed, the priest used hyssop to splash him seven times with a bird’s blood (Lev 14:1-7).
David asked to be washed whiter than snow. In the ancient world, white stood for purity and joy. David wanted purity before God. The king understood his sin to be a stain—a corruption—and he wanted to be free.
verse 10:
David wished for God to create in him a clean heart, the seat of intellect in Hebrew thinking. David didn’t just want his soul to be clean—he wanted his very thoughts—his heart—to be clean, too. He didn’t want to lust after women and kill their husbands, and he needed God’s help.
verse 13:
After David was cleansed, he wished to teach transgressors God’s way so that they would return to the Lord. The king wanted others to know the great joy of fellowship with God.
verses 14-17:
After David was cleansed, his tongue would sing aloud God’s righteousness. David couldn’t offer sacrifices—the penalty for both his adultery and his murder was death; only God’s mercy prevented David from being killed. David wished to come before God with humility in worship because of God’s graciousness.
Application
Because “God cleanses from sin,” David turned to the Lord in repentance and confession; therefore, David ordered his life around God’s forgiveness. Do the same! Because “God cleanses from sin,” live to honor that cleansing. How can you order your life around God’s forgiveness?
One: Solicit
David solicited God for a clean heart: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10). You, too, need to Solicit God for a clean heart.
You need a clean heart, for the human heart is incredibly wicked: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jer 17:9). You can’t follow what you feel in your heart, because it will deceive you every time.
Instead, Solicit God for a clean heart—ask God to keep your heart from evil and to renew your heart. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, saying, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt 6:13); in other words, Jesus taught us to pray for God’s help in keeping our hearts from sin. Jesus further solicited his Father for Peter’s heart: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Lk 22:31-32).
With all the evil around us, isn’t it time we Solicit God for a clean heart? Make asking God for a clean heart an integral part of your prayers.
Two: School
Once he was cleansed from sin, David would School sinners in righteousness: “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you” (Ps 51:13).
Why should you School sinners once you’ve been forgiven? Yes, Jesus commanded us to do so. But I want you to answer that question differently this morning. This psalm speaks about the joy of God’s forgiveness and fellowship—a joy which you knew when you came to Christ, and a joy you still know. Why not help other people to know that same joy?
Not schooling sinners is the most unchristian thing you can do. Jesus said, “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt 7:12). If your life were in shambles, if you were alienated from God, if you were overwhelmed by guilt, if you were on the road to an eternal hell, wouldn’t you want someone to help you find joy?
Share your joy this week. Treat those in sin as you would want to be treated and point them to Jesus. Would you commit to mentioning Jesus (in some way or other) to someone this week? School sinners.
Three: Sing
David promised that once he had been cleansed from sin, he would Sing praises to God: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Ps 51:15). David understood a forgiving God deserves praise.
God deserves your praise—he has cleansed you from sin. In the Revelation, a heavenly chorus praised Jesus by saying: “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Rev 5:9-10). These heavenly beings—who had not been saved through the blood of Jesus—praised him for his salvation. If beings who don’t benefit from his salvation praise Jesus for his salvation, shouldn’t you?
How is your worship? How often do you gather with the saints? Do you participate in worship when we’re together or is your mind a million miles away? Sing his praises, for he has saved you from sin.
Has Jesus honestly saved you from sin? Do you need to come this morning and allow him to save you from sin?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.