Psalm 51: Forgiven & FreeSample

There’s a song that I deeply love by Christian artist Chris Renzema called “Fountain,” and it starts with the lyrics “Let my bones that once were broken, dance now”. As we dive into Day 2 of our deep dive into Psalm 51, it felt right to feature these lyrics that come from verse 8. But before we get to verse 8, verse 7 is quite rich, and I am ready to jump into it with you!

In verse 7, David writes, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” If you’re anything like me, my first question upon reading this is “what’s hyssop?” and I am happy to have taken on the burden of googling for you. Bible Hub taught me that the plant was known for its place in spiritual rituals and its medicinal properties. It shows up many times throughout scripture, especially in the Old Testament, and the branches of hyssop are used in purification to sprinkle water or blood. At Passover, a hyssop branch was used to put blood on the doorframe of the Hebrew households. Additionally, a hyssop branch was used to give Jesus his vinegar drink on the cross, the last act that He took before saying, “it is finished,” taking on all of our sins to save us. In the same way, Hebrew boys were passed over because of the blood; we, too, have been passed over from death because of Christ’s blood shed on the cross. Hyssop is symbolic, and the context is really important!

When David wishes to be washed clean with hyssop, that he may be whiter than snow, he is referring to a complete cleanliness; a complete cleansing from the past and a movement into the present. Yet, I think that this desire of David’s was more than symbolic - in fact, I believe that it was quite practical as well.

Throughout Leviticus 14, hyssop is used as part of the cleansing ritual for those with leprosy or other skin diseases. Why was cleansing so important? A person with leprosy could not engage with the community or the Lord during the time of their disease. They were fully isolated from everything and everyone until they were healed and cleansed by a priest according to the rules outlined in the chapter.

While David was far from a skin disease, he still recognized the way that he had put himself into isolation from God and godly people around him because of his sin and uncleanliness. He wanted to be forgiven and brought back into the fold of God, his friend and his savior. So he asked!

And he doesn’t stop there. David goes on in verse 8 to plead,” Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice”. This reveals that David believes redemption is on the other side of God’s forgiveness.

And it begs the question for people like you and me today - do you believe that God can forgive you, for the smallest sin or the most massive mistake of your life? Because he can and he wants to.

David got it all wrong, and yet he was willing to go to his good, good Father and ask for a cleansing. He asked for joy to be returned. He asked to be forgiven.

That means that you can too. You’re never too far gone from the fold of God for the hyssop branch to wave a cleansing over you. He still wants you. He still loves you. Take heart, your story is not over.