“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, NASB95)

This is one of the best-known repentant psalms of lament in the Bible. David is responding to Nathan the prophet after being confronted concerning David’s adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and the assassination of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, in an attempt to cover up his sin. David’s relationship with God is broken, the King of Israel is in shame, and now David stands broken before God pleading for mercy, cleansing, and grace. David is seeking renewal from God within his spirit.

Spiritual renewal is a regeneration God brings to His people as part of contrition, confession, and restoration. To renew someone is to restore or refresh again the one that has fallen into sin and despair. It is the concept of beginning again and not abandoning something or someone. Joash restored the Temple of the Lord, putting carpenters and others to work to “renew” the Temple. (2 Chr. 24:4). Isaiah saw the devastation God would bring upon Israel and Judah and was moved to speak of a time when God would renew the land (Isa. 61:4). In Psalms, we see that God will send forth His Spirit and “renew” the earth (Psa. 104:30). There is nothing in all of creation that God cannot renew because God is the God of renewal and restoration.

Renewal begins with cleansing and trusting in the mercy of God. David cries out for God to create in him a clean heart. God will bring renewal, but first, God must bring cleansing. The cleansing that God does is the removal and replacement of a heart of sin. God removes the old heart and grants a new heart in line with His Spirit. The renewed heart must be free from sin and become reconciled to God. David knew that it took a clean heart to enter into the presence of God as he wrote in Psalm 24…

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. 
(Psalm 24:3–4, NASB95)

We also read in the New Testament how God provides ongoing renewal through the presence of His Spirit. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NASB95) As we grow in God’s grace and knowledge, our spirit is renewed and will continue to be restored until we are complete and in the presence of God’s glory in heaven.

Don’t lose heart when you fall. Seek God’s mercy, and He will renew your spirit.

In His Service,
Pastor Cary