Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts
Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts.’ — Yek. 6a.
THE confession of his sin lias taught David how to lay bare its origin and root. From his birth onwards his whole inner life has been impure, and the thought of this leads him again to think of God as the Searcher of the heart, before whose eyes this inward corruption makes him worthy of rejection even when it does not openly break forth in sinful deeds. He feels that in his confession of sin, and his endeavor after conversion, and his hope in mercy, he must not Jeave this out of view. The God with whom he has to do is a God who desires truth in the inward parts. For us also it is of great importance, in our prayer for mercy, not to overlook this word. It will teach us lessons of the very greatest importance.
God desires truth in the inward parts. This thought summons us to earnestness and godly fear in our sense of sin. By nature we run so much risk of dwelling more on the outward manifestation of sin
HAVE MERCY UP01ST ME.
than upon its hidden root and power. Whenever, in consequence of their upbringing or favorable circumstances, the outward life is religious and unblamable, many flatter themselves with the thought that it is also well with the heart: at least, that although they have still many sins, the heart is not quite so bad as has been said. They regard themselves at least not as ungodly and enemies of God. When God’s word uses such expressions, it cannot mean such as they are. Oh, did they but know how the Lord proves and searches the heart, they would think otherwise. The Holy One sees the indwelling corruption of the heart. There is no man that doeth good; no, not one. The holy God requires truth in the inward parts. The service which He receives must be completely true, in full agreement with His holy law. Love to God must fill the whole heart. If anything be lacking, then we stand guilty and condemned before God. He cannot be content with less than perfect holiness: a terrible thought this for the awakened soul. God desires truth in the inward parts.
How should this thought keep many a one from the superficial conversion with which men so often suffer themselves to be deceived. Whenever, upon a sickbed, for example, there is a little anxiety about sin and questions about grace, the soul is at once comforted. Men are not aware that these feelings can easily be awakened, and also very lightly laid to sleep again. The desires go forth for the help of God without the soul’s being prepared to abandon everything in actual life. The heart is deceitful above all things. Through the pious appearance of religion, people many a time deceive themselves. Oh that men might feel that God searches the very deepest recesses of the soul. That word of David should be a word of L eartbreaking power in order to be at the same time a word of healing and quickening.
Thou desirest truth in the inward parts. This thought gives hope and comfort in the way of conversion. Nothing less will God have from the awakened soul: nothing more will the grace of God require from the penitent. I learn to know myself as guilty and worthy of condemnation: in me dwells no good thing. How, then, can I arrive at truth in the inward parts How can this thought give me comfort? Well, in these ways: for him who knows himself as one that is lost by nature, the truth after which God seeks lies in nothing else than this, that man should present himself to God in truth as he really is. He who thus comes to God with the acknowledgment of his sin in his real condition comes in truth. This is the sincerity of which the word of God speaks so much. There are many who imagine that sincerity before God consists in a great perfection and in a very cordial dedication of themselves to the service of God. For the anxious sinner it is not so. He is not yet so far on the way. With him this is the highest sincerity, that he should present himself to God with all his misery, that he should confess himself to be just what he is. He who confesses his sin certainly receives mercy. God desires troth in the inward parts. The soul who is desirous for salvation, and that rightly understands that word, may rejoice deeply in it. When you appear before God, do not endeavor to present yourself to Him as one that is pious, and to make yourself appear before Him at best with an animated religiousness. No: make confession of what you think, and feel, and do. Hide nothing from the Lord. Seek not to cloak your sin. Acknowledge the whole truth about your condition of sin and misery. God desires truth in the inward parts, and will not withhold His grace from you.
And when one has received mercy there is still a glorious application of that word. God desires truth in the inward parts. This thought strengthens faith for glorious eoepectations. The soul that has been endowed with grace has no more bitter conflict than over the deceit and unfaithfulness of the heart. It feels that there is so much which is still not in truth. In its faith, its love, its prayer, its dedication to the service of God, it everywhere discovers that it is not yet capable of serving the Lord with the whole heart and in perfect truth, as it desires. And many a time it is afraid that it will yet altogether give way. But then it finds in God’s word this glorious promise: * I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them (Isa. lxi. 8). It begins to see that this is also a part of God?s plan and promise to confirm and to bring to perfection the work of grace that has been begun. Thou J t si rest truth in the inward parts: this it makes a ground of pleading, on which it entreats that God Himself would work out that process in which He has delight. And this word of David becomes thus the source of the most glorious expectations.
Beloved suppliant, in all your use of this Fifty-first Psalm, and in all your intercourse with God, let this word constitute the fundamental element of your prayer. Meet always with God as a God who desires truth in the inward parts. In all your confession of sin, in all your religion, in your whole existence, let truth in the inward parts be your desire, as it is the desire of God. And if you find that there is nothing good in you, that the more you strive after truth the less you find it, be assured that in all such experience the acknowledgment of this misery is already the truth which God desires. And when He has wrought this in you, so also will He bestow it upon you amidst all the spiritual conflict that remains. If, then, you long for this from Him who also desires it, and who on that account will take delight in bestowing it, it shall be given to you.