Take not Thy Spirit?

While worshipping God alongside like-minded believers this morning, we sang a song whose first line was a quotation of part of King David's repentance after committing adultery with Bathsheeba: "take not your Spirit from me". It really bothers me when Evangelicals (or, as some like to call them, "fundegelicals") sing songs that ask God not to take His Spirit from them. Back when David lived, one of the Holy Spirit's jobs was to temporarily indwell leaders. Saul experienced the conditional nature of the Spirit's indewlling when the Holy Spirit left him for his disobedience (1 Samuel 16:14). David's plea was that God would not take away His Spirit, and remove David from leadership.

Throughout the Old Testament, among the many promises that were made, God promised us that He would pour out His Spirit (Joel:28-29). This was fulfilled at a Pentecost in the first century when, at the Jewish traditional celebration of the fiftieth day after Passover, the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2).

Now when someone hears about how to have a relationship with God and believes in Him, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it (Ephesians 1:13-14).

So why would we ask God not to take away His Spirit, when He has promised that He wouldn't? Please stop. Its bad theology. Its ignorant, and it is dishonoring to God.

Psalm 51
1. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3. For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4. Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
5. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
7. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8. Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9. Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
10. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11. Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
14. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15. O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18. By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.