A New age bath product is advertised on the internet with this description. It’s a bath oil and it claims to be “A highly aromatic oil with an exceptionally fine aroma. This oil blend is said to relieve states of anger, panic attacks, and nervous trembling. Excellent for mental fatigue and depression.” It goes on to say that it, “May have an effect on obesity and fluid retention. Invaluable in times of stress, uplifts and revives the spirit.” It closes with the promise that it will “…transform your daily act of bathing into an experience that will not only cleanse and soften your skin but also bring harmony and balance into your life from pure plant essential oils.”

The New Age has been promising to bring “harmony” and “balance” into our lives for as long as I can remember. It was made famous in the sixties (my generation) by the Fifth Dimension’s mega-hit, “The Age of Aquarius.” It’s opening verse says “When the moon is in the Seventh House, And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars…It is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius… etc). When I think of bringing “harmony” and “balance” into my life, it has little to do with the moon being in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligning with Mars. It has even less to do with a particular brand of bath oil!! But the interesting thing about this bath oil is its name. It is called “purge me with Hyssop” bath oil. The advertisement says, “Hyssop is a holy herb referred to in the scriptures, ‘purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean’. Hyssop baths have been part of the bathing ritual since ancient times.”

Of course the “Holy” herb and its particular new age qualities are not at all what David was referring to when he said “purge me with hyssop,” in Psalm 51, verse 7. It reads in total, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” It’s in the context of seeking God’s forgiveness for his sin. The hyssop plant was so constituted that it served as a wand with a sponge on the end that the priests would dip into the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle on the people for the forgiveness of their sins. David wasn’t referring to the “new age” properties of Hyssop. He was referring to the cleansing, healing, and forgiving nature of the blood of the sacrifice. Peace will never guide my planets, and love will never steer my stars because I’m a sinner, like David. Only God’s grace can bring “harmony and balance” into my life through the shed blood of the one sacrifice for all our sins. I have to stop focusing on “me” and keep focusing on “HIM.” His Grace is the greatest medicine for the weary soul. There is a balm in Gilead that will soothe the sin sick soul. It is the only soap that will wash the “me” away.