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| (Photo by Matthew Bowden) |
Ironically, while directly addressing God in verse 16, the psalmist declares: You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. However, all those with ashes on their foreheads can take heart. Verse 16 refers specifically to the burnt offerings of unrepentant transgressors. Later, in verse 19, the psalmist optimistically adds: Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, In burnt offerings offered whole. (NIV)
Although it might be difficult to drag entire palm trees to the altar (verse 19 goes on to mention bulls instead - that’s tougher yet) a repentant sinner should have nothing to worry about. The psalmist makes it perfectly clear that God will delight in even a sprinkling of palm dust upon the truly righteous.
And this psalmist knows whereof he sings – for his name, according to the superscription, is King David. This superscription not only names the sinner, but also identifies the sin itself. After initially stating “A psalm of David,” it goes on to explain: When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Talk about an attention-grabbing headline! (Who says that the Bible isn’t real journalism?)
Why, then, was David even talking about burnt offerings? Was it to somehow direct the attention away from his own heinous past? Or was it to instead connect with his past, the glorious past of his forefathers that went far beyond one man’s (even king’s) actions. Aquinasandmore.com details the significance of burnt offerings (ashes and all) within the ancient Israelite tradition. For example, in Genesis 18:27, the great patriarch Abraham refers to himself as “nothing but dust and ashes.” Numbers 19:9 (along with many other Hebrew Bible passages) speaks about preparing “water of separation” (water mixed with the ashes of a burnt offering that was then used for ritual-purification purposes).
Although Ash Wednesday isn’t technically a sacrament, and wasn’t even officially mentioned within Church texts until the 10th century, it provides the perfect opportunity for remembering that burnt offerings never were, and still aren’t, enough.
God will only delight in them if they are burnt by the flames of the Holy Spirit.
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday
http://www.aquinasandmore.com/catholic-articles/Ash-Wednesday/article/320
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_51
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51&version=NIV
http://bible.cc/numbers/19-9.htm
http://bible.cc/genesis/18-27.htm
Copyright March 9, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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