Cleanse Me
Lyrics by J. Edwin Orr, 1912-1987
Music by Maori Melody; arranged by Robert F. Douglas
In what has traditionally been called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the Lord Jesus Christ explains the foundational truths of the Gospel in one of the most powerful and comprehensive messages found in Scripture. The truths He taught were not only a reaffirmation of the Old Testament’s declaration of man’s need of salvation, but He addressed mans greatest need, the need for a Savior, and that He was indeed the One. The emphasis throughout the Sermon on the Mount was that the message and work of Jesus Christ was not external work, but rather an internal work. And while He gave the hearers great cause for rejoicing, He also warned them of the dangers of a false assurance and the tragedy of self-deception due to a failure in self-examination (Matt 7:21-27).
Psalm 139 was written by David, who both knew and dearly loved God. Verses 23 and 24, upon which the hymn “Cleanse Me” is based, express the attitude of the true believer. There is an acknowledgement that wickedness lurks deep within the heart, and that nothing is hidden from the omniscience of God. Desiring to do what he could to ensure that there was no hypocrisy in his own life and that both the inward and outward life were pleasing to God, David willingly opened his heart to God’s inspection. This transparency was also accompanied by a predetermined willingness to do or to reject whatever God revealed to him. But as difficult as this process might be, there was an assurance that God, through His Word and according to His Word, would “…lead me [him] in the everlasting way.” We too have this assurance if we are willing to open ourselves to God’s omniscient gaze and turn away from those things He brings to light and to turn to the refuge and strength found only in His dear Son. What joy this brings to the believer’s heart when we are washed clean from every sin and truly set free!
Stanza 1:
Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be, some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
Reflective questions: Ifwe cannot be freed from sin and death by the Law, according to Romans 3:20, “because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin,” what can help us? What can set us free from the law of sin and death? (See Romans 8:2-4.) Since Jesus Christ was the spotless lamb without blemish that God offered for sin on the cross, and because His sacrifice completely satisfied the justice of God, shouldn’t that free us from all fear and cause us to willingly open our hearts before Him?
Stanza 2:
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
Reflective question: For what reason did Jesus Christ give Himself up for the church? (See Ephesians 5:26-27.)
Stanza 3:
Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord in me abide.
Reflective thought: The apostle Paul, after his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, was called as an instrument of Jesus Christ to suffer for His name’s sake. The more Paul suffered for the Lord, the more he grew to love Him and the more committed he became to do His will. The surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord is worth suffering the loss of all things!
Stanza 4:
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
Reflective questions: How can you tell if the Holy Spirit is doing a work in your life? In his thoughtful study of 1 John 4, Jonathan Edwards identified these five distinctive characteristics of the true work of the Spirit in “The Distinguishing Marks of the Spirit of God”:
- He exalts the true Christ
- He opposes Satan’s interests
- He points people to the Scriptures
- He elevates truth
- He increases our love for God and for others
Can you identify these attributes of the Spirit’s work in your own life?
