A Pure Dwelling Place
Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
PSALM 51:11
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A Pure Dwelling Place
Because David asks for these things from the Lord, he clearly shows us that it is not up to our doing or our powers to preserve these gifts, but that we are in danger of being rejected. This rejection takes place when the Lord leaves us to ourselves and withdraws His Spirit, as Scripture says, "He gave them up into their own desires" (Psalm 81:12; Romans 1:24). When this happens, we immediately fall. Either we indulge our lusts, as David did in his adultery, or we fall into presumption or despair. Hence he says: "Cast me not away; that is, do not desert me with Thy sanctifying Spirit, for when this happens, I am truly cast away and I perish. And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me." He confesses that he has the Holy Spirit, but not perfectly or totally. These are only the firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23). After this life it will come to pass that we shall attain"- the fullness of the Spirit, and shall be as He is (1 John 3:2). Thus these two things should be combined, that through the Holy Spirit we might be saved from all iniquities, inwardly and outwardly, in the spirit and in the flesh, that our hearts might become a pure dwelling place (Ephesians 2:22), in which no entrance is open for the return of the unclean spirit, as Christ teaches in the Gospel (Luke 11:24).
From Commentary on Psalm 51 (Luther's Works 12:382)
PSALM 51:11
+
A Pure Dwelling Place
Because David asks for these things from the Lord, he clearly shows us that it is not up to our doing or our powers to preserve these gifts, but that we are in danger of being rejected. This rejection takes place when the Lord leaves us to ourselves and withdraws His Spirit, as Scripture says, "He gave them up into their own desires" (Psalm 81:12; Romans 1:24). When this happens, we immediately fall. Either we indulge our lusts, as David did in his adultery, or we fall into presumption or despair. Hence he says: "Cast me not away; that is, do not desert me with Thy sanctifying Spirit, for when this happens, I am truly cast away and I perish. And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me." He confesses that he has the Holy Spirit, but not perfectly or totally. These are only the firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:23). After this life it will come to pass that we shall attain"- the fullness of the Spirit, and shall be as He is (1 John 3:2). Thus these two things should be combined, that through the Holy Spirit we might be saved from all iniquities, inwardly and outwardly, in the spirit and in the flesh, that our hearts might become a pure dwelling place (Ephesians 2:22), in which no entrance is open for the return of the unclean spirit, as Christ teaches in the Gospel (Luke 11:24).
From Commentary on Psalm 51 (Luther's Works 12:382)
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