Bara - Psalm 51

Reflections on Psalm 51:10 ~~ 

Create in me a clean heart, O God

Asking for forgiveness wasn't enough for David. He wanted more.

This verse inspires me because it shows that David was aware of his true problem: his sinful acts came from his sinful heart. And he knew that he would sin again. For out of the heart comes evil...Jesus said (Matthew 15:19).

For David to ask God to create a new heart in him is a provocative request.

The Hebrew word for "create" is bara.

It is rarely used in Scripture. It describes what only God can do: to create from out of nothing (ex nihilo). Only God can do this.

In Genesis 1 the word bara is used three times: (1) the creation of matter, the heavens, and the earth - verse 1; (2) the creation of self-conscious life, the animals - verse 21; and (3) the creation of God-conscious life, human beings - verse 27. At all other times a less powerful verb is used.

So when David asked God to Create in me a clean heart, he was asking for a miracle! He was asking for something only God could provide.
And David knew that his new, clean heart, provided only by God, was really "out of nothing." I know that nothing good lives in me, wrote Paul (Romans 7:18).
David knew that God could not just patch up his heart, maybe apply some cleanser or new paint, or mend some broken spots.


It had to be re-made - created - out of nothing David had.

Ezekiel talked about a new heart also:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

A prayer we can voice every day: Create in me a clean heart, O G

I know not how the Spirit moves

Convincing me of sin

Revealing Jesus through the Word

Creating faith in Him.

--Daniel Webster Whittle

Giving us....from out of nothing...everything we need to bring us into God's family and everything we need to pursue holiness.