Psalm 51
We have seen how very full of meaning was this cry of the sin-oppressed heart, “Purge me with hyssop.” When Israel was delivered from slavery and bitter bondage, the bunch of hyssop was dipped in the blood of the lamb: and the blood was sprinkled on the lintel and door posts. That blood alone sheltered them from judgment. When the poor loathsome leper had to be cleansed from leprosy, it was again by the hyssop and the living bird being dipped in the blood of the killed bird, and that blood sprinkled on the leper. All this speaks, in no uncertain sound, that if the sinner is to be purged from sins it must be by the blood of Jesus.
Again we read, “And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification of sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel; and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that toucheth a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave,” &c. (Numb. 19:1717And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: (Numbers 19:17).) Here again hyssop is in connection with death—the ashes of the heifer slain and burnt for purification for sin. David, therefore in the deep sense of the loathsome defilement of sin says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” Surely faith must have looked beyond the shadows which could not take away sins, to the blessed truth so distinctly revealed to us—Christ by His own blood having entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:1313For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13).)
Now when we look at David, at the fearful enormity of his sin, and that the lessons of his faith were the types and shadows, his words and the faith they expressed were marvelous. He not only says “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean,” but he goes still further: “wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Yes he says, as it were, I shall (black, and vile, as I am) be purer, whiter than the whitest created thing. Now what but the eternal efficacy of the blood of Jesus can accomplish this? “How much more shall the blood of Christ?” May we not say how little have we understood these great thoughts of faith? The law set forth this one great truth. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” It is evident his faith was connected with this one truth, as we have seen the hyssop was used in connection with death, and the blood. Now looking forward, as Isaiah in another day, had he said (terrible as were his sins) I am too vile to be washed, or I am too great a sinner to be washed quite clean, would these thoughts have been after God’s own heart? Far from it. No, faith must rise to the exact thought of God.
There is one important difference between us and David. He looked forward—“purge me,” the work of purgation was not yet done. Have you been brought as he was to God in the real confession of your sins, and sin? Do you believe what God has said about the one sacrifice of Christ for sins? Let us really bottom this all important question. Just see if you can follow us in a few scriptures. These will test your state better than any questions we can put. Take this: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5).) We do not for a moment doubt, if you have despised that blood, that you are yet in your sins and guilt before God. No person is a Christian that does not take shelter and rest in the blood of Jesus. And these words test every man whether he is a Christian or not. It is not our love to Him, but “unto him that loveth us.” And it is not as with David, wash us, or a wash me. “It is done: washed us from our sins in his own blood.” If David looked forward, we look back: but now apply the standard—the height of his faith. Are we washed really as white as snow in his blood? Would that be after God’s own heart, or after His word? Far from it. Can you say, I am washed as white as snow? Well, that is wonderful. But higher still: “whiter than snow,” this is David’s standard. Look at him as black as hell. Now look, white as heaven’s light. And, now eternal redemption is accomplished, shall we have a lower standard? If you are washed in the blood of the Lamb you are not almost as white, or as white, but whiter than snow.
this standard is what marks a person in the light. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Are we in the light as He is in the light? that is the question. Mark, this is not a matter of attainment of some, but the common fellowship of all Christians in the light. And what is the standard? “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The next verse shows it is not that sin is eradicated or that we have no sin; but the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin in the sight of God—He sees us whiter than snow, and imputeth no sin.
Now if in the dark all will be uncertainty as to sins. “Then if that be the case,” we hear some reader say, “I must be in the dark—utterly overwhelmed with the constant remembrance of my sins. Heavier and heavier do they become. So dreadful to have sinned so sadly, and so often, against the God of all love. Sometimes I feel a little hopeful, but it is only like a dim mist, scarce twilight—oh! how am I to know that God has forgiven me? How am I to know that I am whiter than snow? I look at myself and I am no better, do what I will. Happy would it be for me if I could get to know that I was whiter than snow.” Such is the condition, in substance, of many souls we meet with who are still in the dark.
Now to such we would say, what would you think of a child who was constantly saying, How am I to know that what my parents tell me is true? Surely they would be most untruthful parents to merit such constant doubt. Is God untruthful? Does He merit our doubt? or can you say, His word is so little to be depended on, how am I to know He speaks truth to me? Surely it is a solemn thing to doubt God. Here in a few words are the facts of the case. You are guilty and heavy laden with sin, and as such under the just judgment of God. You could only be reconciled to God by the death of another bearing the just judgment of God against sin. Jesus, the Son of God, has thus died. God has declared His eternal satisfaction and glory by that sacrifice by raising Jesus from the dead for our justification. God proclaims to you through that death the free forgiveness of sins, made certain by that resurrection, to all who believe. God declares that all who believe are justified from all things. (Read Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39).) Now do you say, how am I to know that God speaks the truth to me here? Oh, can you say soda a thing after He spared not His beloved Son? But you say, if I do believe God, what then? What then? Why, what God says, “you are justified from all things.” What then? Do you believe God? Why then you can say, “unto him that loved us, and hath washed us from our sins in his own Mood.” Let us weigh that “washed.” We are personally forgiven when we believe, repent, and confess our sins: but, let us remember, the work was done before Jesus sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. “When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3).) On this ground all that believe are justified from all things. They are accounted righteous before God. Not some unknown persons, but all who believe. Is not this true then of you who read these lines and believe God? Yes, to you Jesus speaks. He says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).) One thing is clear, Jesus speaks to you. Now what He does say is true of you, if you hear His word, and believe God that sent Him. Does He not say that you have eternal life that you shall not come into condemnation [or judgment], but that you are passed from death unto life? Do you say, how am I to know that Jesus speaks truth to me? How simple this is! But you say, “I don’t see that I am any better. If I did, I think I could then be happy.” Don’t you see, that is all “I”? Did Israel say, if we could only see ourselves better than those Egyptians, we could then trust God would pass over our houses? No, they believed God’s word about that blood on the lintels.
Did the poor leper look at himself, or look at the live bird let loose, after he was sprinkled with blood? He looked at the blood, and believed the assurance given to him in the live bird let loose. When David was overwhelmed with his terrible sins, did he say, if I were only a better man then I might perhaps be washed nearly as white as snow? He had not one ray of hope in himself. There was not only what he had done, but what he was, “shapen in iniquity.” He looked at the hyssop dipped in the blood, and he said, “wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
“It is finished.” Oh wondrous eternal salvation! Not almost as white; not as white; whiter than snow. Whiter than snow! Yes, thus hath He loved us, and washed us from our sins. Whiter than snow. “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
C. S.