Psalm 58

“Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! Let them flow away as waters which run continually; when he bends his bow, let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, as in His living and burning wrath. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, so that men will say, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth.’”  Psalm 58:6-11 (NKJV)

When I was a kid, my friends and I entertained ourselves by prank-calling people.  We would call folks and ask if their refrigerator was running.  When they said, “Yes!” we would say, “Hope you can catch it!”  We got many laughs knowing an unsuspecting department store operator was paging “Amanda Hugginkiss” on the loudspeaker. Of course, those were the days before “Caller ID” and long before maturity on our part. One of my friends called me once and asked if we had something to get blood out of the carpet, “…lots of blood."  

Blood is one of those things that stain. Often permanently.  As a young believer, I never understood the imagery of being “washed” in the blood of Jesus.

“So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” Revelation 7:14b (NKJV) (Revelation 1:4-6)

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (NKJV)

Today’s passage is the first time we see the idea of “washing in blood” in the Bible.  But the image of washing here does not denote cleansing.  The word “washing” (or bathing in some Bible translations) is meant to describe the level of intensity of the Lord’s judgment.  So, is there any connection to the imagery of New Testament believers who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and the righteous (of David’s day) whose feet were washed in the blood of their enemies?  Perhaps.  Remember that while Jesus knew no sin, He paid the penalty for the world’s sin.  

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin (lit: sin offering) for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

Through Jesus’ shed blood, which led to His death, God’s vengeance laid upon Him was fully accomplished to the extent that David prayed toward his enemies.  While blood typically renders things unclean, the blood of Jesus is the evidence of justice fully served.  The presence of Jesus’ blood on our “garment” (soul) is evidence of how we no longer need cleansing.  His resurrection testified to God’s approval!