Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  

Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.  

Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.  

You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.  

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.  

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.  

Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.  

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.  

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

I'm tired of doing laundry. The sorting, spot cleaning the stains, washing, drying and putting back in order seems like a waste of time since I will have to do it all again next week. That being said, I must admitI love the look, feel and smell of freshly washed and dried white sheets and towels. That's clean to me.
 
Washing reminds me of the story we will hear again soon of the time Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed his disciples' feet. Washing off the daily grime that accumulates on sandaled feet walking through the dusty streets of Jerusalem must have felt good to Jesus' disciples. What about us? Our daily grime is the sin that accumulates on our heart as we walk through the activities of our day, criticizing a co-worker or telling that little lie. Whatever we do that puts a smudge on our heart and leaves us separated from God needs to be washed off.

There is good news in Psalm 51. God's mercy, through the sacrificial death of Jesus, washes the stain of sin from our heart and once again makes us whiter than snow. That's the way we were created to be - clean heart, right spirit. And God will never tire of washing the grime of sin from our hearts when we acknowledge our sins and trust in his abundant mercy and steadfast love for us.