The Annoying Habit of Being Pedantic - mea culpa!

Now I try not to be. But sometimes I am. Pedantic that is. And sometimes my pedantry is no more than my discontent that someone doesn't share my biased and idiosyncratic view of the world. Pedantry is a kind of low grade intellectual showing off! And now and again I'm guilty.

Like tonight. Songs of Praise for All Saints Day. Edward Stourton was wheeled in as the spokesperson on behalf of St Paul. Asked if Paul's legacy still influences the writing of hymns today - "Why yes", says Edward. And the example used as evidence was "Purify my Heart".

Now I don't want to be pedantic, but is it not the Letter of Peter that makes much of purifying the heart, the refiner's fire, holiness as set-apartness? Sure you could find a reference here and there in Paul to those ideas, but short of writing to Brian Doerksen, the writer of the hymn, my guess is that it is more likely to be Peter.  I happen to like the hymn and have never detected an obvious connection between it and the theology of Paul. Not as obvious as 1 Peter anyway - look at 1 Peter chapter 1.

Here's the words - what do you think? Am I just being pedantic?

Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold, pure gold.

Refiner’s Fire,
My heart’s one desire, is to be holy.
Set apart for You Lord.
I choose to be holy,
Set apart for You my master,
Ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from within and make me holy.
Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

Refiner’s Fire,
My heart’s one desire, is to be holy.
Set apart for You Lord.
I choose to be holy,
Set apart for You my master,
Ready to do Your will.

Comments

[Martin Hodson]

Hey Jim, always enjoy visiting your blog. And always enjoy a bit of generous-spirited pedantry. (Modern worship songs and hymns are a well that never runs dry for the thirsty pedant.) I agree that the theme of this hymn is heavily influenced by 1 Peter, but since I first heard it I have assumed it is derived in part from 2 Timothy 2.20-21, so maybe it is fair to give the Apostle Paul a name-check here too.
"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work" (TNIV).
Martin