Create in Me a Clean Heart O God!
King David gave us one of the most beautiful prayers of request for spiritual cleansing. Psalm 51 is a plea for mercy from David, God’s servant king following his sin with Bathsheba. He opens the Psalm with a plea for mercy. Why? Because of God’s unfailing love and his great what? Compassion. There’s that word again. Our theme for the study of Mark and prayed by King David many years prior to the Messiah’s reign on earth. Let’s read Ps 51:10-12. Do these words sound familiar?
- List the five key verbs in David’s plea
- _______________in me a pure heart
- _______________a steadfast spirit within me
- _______________to me the joy of your salvation
- _______________me a willing sprit
- What is the significance of hyssop in verse 7?
- Exodus 12:22_______________________________
- Lev 14:4___________________________________
- Numbers 19:6__________________________________
- John 19:29_________________________________
Hyssop: An indigenous plant to western Asia and northern Africa. It is a brightly colored shrub like plant measuring 30 to 60cm in height. Its stalks are woody and produce fragrant flowers. The plants are harvested twice annually in the spring and the fall. The Old Testament references are many (see above) and was used in a purification process potentially due to its antiseptic properties (contains phenol). Modern days uses include as an aromatic in honey and some liqueurs and medicinally as a cough expectorant and suppressant.
Read Mark 7
Here we see a confrontational dialogue between the Pharisees and our LORD. The Pharisees were more interested in the traditions of their predecessors rather than the commands of God (verse 8). Beginning with verse 14, Jesus makes a profound statement to the crowd who are listening. Describe verse 15-16 in your own words.
Jesus concludes the section by listing those evil things that proceed from a man’s heart. St. Paul continues using Jesus’ example here in his letter to the church at Galatia. Go to Galatians 5: 19-21. What is the result of “living” like that?
The final two sections of chapter 7 again show “faith” and “compassion.” The first example is that of a Syrophoenician woman (a/k/a Canaanite woman). This area was outside the Jewish territory almost the same area as Elijah’s miracle with the woman at Zarephath. Read 7:24-30. How would you translate Jesus’ statement: “For such a reply?”
The final section beginning with verse 31 relates to a deaf and dumb man in the region of the Decapolis. Again, a gentile area vs. Jewish settlements. People in the area brought the man to Jesus and begged him to place his hand on him. The people were amazed and overwhelmed at this healing. The Jews should not have been amazed since it was prophesied by Isaiah. Go to Isaiah 35. Isaiah prophesies that “He will come and save you.”
- List the examples of Isaiah that the Savior will do
- The ___________________will be opened
- The____________________unstopped
- The ___________________will leap like a deer
- The___________________shout for joy.
Jewish law was not kind to a person afflicted with no hearing or speech. It was impossible to teach them, therefore they were NOT considered to be moral agents, i.e. could not own real estate or act as witnesses. For centuries the term, “dumb” was used derogatorily as stupid.
The end of the chapter concludes with a testimony of the people of that area: “He has done everything well.” Does that sound like creation? See Gen 1:31.
Questions for the Day
- King David’s choice of words like, create, renew, restore, grant, sustain are very powerful verbs. Think about each of these verbs in terms of your faith life.
- Outward cleanliness vs. inward purity is a matter of priority. Jesus says that it’s what is in a man’s heart that makes him clean. What is your spiritual cleaning agent?
- The prophet Isaiah reminded God’s people that the Messiah would provide all kinds of physical healing. But His greatest compassion was spiritual cleanliness and rightness before God’s throne of grace. God’s perfect creation was corrupted by sin and thus the beginning of “heart disease.” Why is a clean heart required for proper stewardship?