Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
What a beautiful and moving passage as David realizes the extent of his sin. The focal point is the loss of the relationship with the LORD, God, the Almighty through the departure of the Holy Spirit. You can almost hear the Spirit saying, “I’m not living in a pig sty like this, I’m out of here.”
Does He often take that attitude as my mind wanders through the Slough of Despond and revels in filth and lust? Yes, no doubt about it. I am called to be on my knees in contrition and prayer, not lying to all that I’m really a good little boy.
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Reading
Morning Psalm 120, Noon Psalm 119:113-120, Evening Psalm 50.If you follow this regimen, you will pray through the Psalms every 47 days or just under 8 times per year.
An alternate Reading Plan is based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation. This plan, over a several year period will result in an average reading of the entire Bible in slightly over twice per year. I’ve been following this plan since 1989 and still find the mixture of Scriptures presented each day to be a delightful way to end my day. The NLB app has a scheduling tool that assists greatly in keeping track of the reading list.
Or set your own reading schedule up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits. But a daily time in the Word of the LORD is an absolute.
Suggested Supplementary Reading
The Christian’s Creed: Embracing the Apostolic Faith by Dr. Stanley D. Gale. There is also a workbook available.
