Psalm 19:12-14

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

New Living Translation

The desire to be holy is so beautifully expressed in this Psalm. The author had a desire to have God search his heart, his attitudes, his thoughts, his actions, and show him anything that was sinful or displeasing to Him.

He also asked that all that he does, what he says, even what he thinks, would be pleasing to God.

I think it takes great courage to have an attitude like that. On the surface it sounds so pious and nice. But think about what could happen if God actually DID this!

If God were to search my heart now, what would He find? How much pride, arrogance, resentment, and greed would He uproot? I know they are there but honestly, I'd rather avoid it.

It isn't even so much because I want to hang on to these things. I really do want them all to go. But rather, it is that I'm so ashamed they exist, I want to hide them, pretend they are not there.

The problem is, they ARE there. And pretending they aren't won't make them any less real. In fact, ignoring them generally allows them to take over. I can't explain why, but I have learned from experience that when I pretend a sinful attitude doesn't exist, instead of it shrinking and becoming invisible, it seems to grow. Before long it is controlling me. What was once a small, impure thought is suddenly a stronghold that the enemy uses quite effectively against me.

I want to have the attitude that David had. I want to let God search my heart, and to purify all of the unclean thoughts and attitudes that He discovers. I want God to help me avoid unintentional sin as well as intentional sins. I want to be so cleansed by Him that all of my words, all of my thoughts, and all of my actions are pleasing to Him.

Lord, search me and cleanse me!