Refined Silver
“The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.”
The process of refining silver involves an intense heating process that melts the required minerals into a liquid, and in that liquid state, the incompatible impurities float to the top. This can be referred to as slag or dross. At that point, the impurities are removed, and the silver metal below is left purer than before the process began. If necessary, this process is repeated again and again in order to achieve a satisfactory level of purity for its intended purpose.
Here in Psalm 12:6, the Lord’s words are referred to as being pure like silver that has been purified through the smelting process seven times. The number seven in Scripture represents “perfection,” “finished,” or “complete.” Typically, refining silver once leaves it fairly pure. You could imagine that if you were refining silver and repeated the process seven times that it would become wholly pure. The last few times of running it through the smelting process would leave no impurities left to remove.
In this case, God’s words, being like silver refined seven times, is “completely” pure, without impurities or contamination. What’s unique is that God’s words are fully complete and pure, existing in a state of complete perfection in their original state. There is no error in God’s words as they are spoken, and there is no need for it to be corrected, edited, or reworded. There is no need to add to or take away from the words of Scripture. What God says is right the first time - every time - and it is final and complete once spoken. We are nothing like this. How many times have we said something false or something we wish we could have taken back?
Do we ever take time to reflect and recognize this about the words written in our Bibles? Do we sometimes read and think, “I don’t know if I like that.” or “I don’t know if I agree with or believe that.” Well, if God’s words are perfect, then it doesn’t matter what we think. Our personal feelings, interpretations, understanding, or beliefs, that do not align with God’s intended meaning, don’t matter. Our thoughts or feelings don’t make God’s words any less true or relevant. Instead, it only reveals the impurity and selfishness of our own hearts. Once we change, distort, or misrepresent God’s words, we essentially attempt to become God. At that point, we are then basically stating that we know better than God and that our personal interpretation is accurate while God’s original statement is flawed. We must recognize that since God’s words are pure, and thus are purer than the human mind can ever comprehend, we in our fallen state are in no position to ever change God's Word.
So, on that note, a couple of chapters later in the Psalms, we see in chapter 14, verses 1-3, that Scripture says:
“The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. [2] The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. [3] They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.”
Here we learn that “no one is good, not even one.” No one seeks after God, “all have turned aside”, and go their own way. So, what’s the good news? Well, Psalm 12:6 says…
“The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times."
How does this affect us? God’s words are pure, and by His Spirit working in us, His words have the power to refine us and make us purer. God’s words can change us. They have the power to purge or sift through the impurities within us and refine our character, so that we become more like Christ! The refining aspect of Scripture changes the way we think, what we believe, the way we talk, and the way we act. I can remember one set of verses having a profound impact on my faith in Christ, found in Matthew 7:21-23.
2 Timothy 3:13-17 tells us:
But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. [14] You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, [15] and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; [17] so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
So, let us always remember and be in awe of the fact that when we read God’s Word, it is perfect, without error, without corruption, and it contains the wisdom of God Himself and not the wisdom of man. In its purity, it has the power to teach us, to convict us, to correct us, to humble us, and to train us in His righteousness. In this reality, may we then recognize and understand the true purity of God's words in Scripture, and, therefore, be inspired to believe and obey all that it teaches us. In response, may we humbly submit to its authority in every way so that we may become more and more like Christ and less and less like our old sinful, rebellious, wicked, selves - to be sanctified, or purified, according to His righteousness, which is the righteousness of godly truth.
Prayer
Lord, may we always recognize our impurities, our rebellion, our pride, our arrogance, our stubbornness, and our persistent resistance. May we truly comprehend the genuine purity of Your words, Your inerrant truth, and may we then respond in awe and reverence so profound that we are deeply inspired to humbly submit to Your authority and wisdom in every way in order that we may become more and more like the risen Lord Jesus. Amen.
