“The Lords promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over”- Psalms 12:6 (NLT)
God is faithful to finish every work He starts and until it is good in His sight. We know this to be true, yet when the storms of life come in like a rushing flood, we begin to doubt the very things He has promised us. We see our challenges as just that…a challenge, opposed to looking at our adverse seasons as “Gods refinement”.
It’s one thing to say you trust God, but it’s another to walk alongside Him when the heat is turned up, pressure is added, and He chips away at you and the things that surround you. Then what do you do? Do you still stand on the promises of God, and believe He is faithful to complete every work for your good or do you crumble under the pressure? When the heat is high, do you see it as being necessary for where God is taking you, or do you believe the lies of the enemy that there is no hope beyond this place?
When I initially read over Psalms 12:6 my first thoughts were that the promises of God are “good” and everything he does till “completion”. Though both of these sentiments are in fact true, I found myself lingering as if there was more to be said. It was two simple words but I couldn’t move past them. Silver refined? Why compare that to Gods promises…why not just leave it at pure? So, I began to do a deep dive into the silver refining process.
Now I understand why this verse uses the word “pure (without impurities)” for promises opposed to “good”, and the words that followed were refined, purified, and seven times over. Psalms 12:6, is more about the process than it is about the promise.
Today, I don’t want to focus on the portion of the verse that reminds us, that God has promises for us. I want us to pause on the part that says his promises are without fault and blemish ONCE they’ve been refined and purified. I want us to sit with the fact that Gods promises are without impurities but due to the process they must undergo.
I know this may not be what you desire to hear, but it’s necessary. Simply stopping with the sentiment that Gods promises are pure would be incomplete. We have to also talk about what’s required to achieve them. Psalms 12:6 is so rich because God gives us direct insight into what the promise requires …. heat, pressure, separation, refining, washing, caution, withstanding, repeating if necessary, and no timeline for completion (it takes as long as is required)!
Let’s take a look…
If you look into the refining process of silver, it doesn’t reflect something that would end up producing something pure, and valuable. In the process it looks messy, and can even be dangerous due to the heat and acids that are applied during. That being said, protective gear is also required.
So, let’s start from the beginning. Silver doesn’t start as silver. It’s often bonded to other impure metals like copper and zinc (base metals) through natural occurrence. These metals must be removed to ensure the highest purity because they contain contaminants that can negatively impact their appearance, mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and even possess toxicity risk. So, what it is naturally bound could pose as a risk, and must be removed FIRST! The goal is to concentrate the silver.
Step 1: Fire Refining (APPLY HEAT). First you melt the silver in a furnace so you can take a sample analysis to determine its purity (test it). Every piece of silver will vary. Meaning the process may vary depending on how many impurities are present based on its starting purity and desired outcome.
Step 2: Electrolysis (REFINING). This step requires dissolving the silver in acid to further purify it. To be specific the silver must be dissolved (breaking it down completely) in nitric acid. Nitric acid is strong enough to break down the silvers bonds due to silver being naturally resistant to many acids. This process helps the silver to further separate from impurities.
Step 3: Precipitation (MORE REFINING/SEPERATION). Once the silver has been placed in nitric acid it forms into silver nitrate. Adding salt then causes it to form into silver chloride, a white solid, separating the silver from impurities.
Step 4: Wash (CLEANSE). Now that the silver has been through MULTIPLE phases of refinement, we can begin the cleaning process. At this point the silver chloride has produced a white powder. This must be cleansed to ensure all acids and impurities are removed.
Step 5: Reduce (CONVERT). Next, the silversmith takes the clean dissolved powder and converts it back into a pure metallic state. This is often done by adding sugar, that reacts with silver chloride to change its current physical state. This step must be done with caution as well because the solution may get hot and boil . So, the sugar should be added gradually and slowly. Once the reaction has occurred the color should visibly change from black/brown to grey/metallic. The solid metallic powder settles at the bottom of the container and the remaining liquid is carefully poured off. The silver is then washed with water repeatedly to remove any remaining chemical byproducts. Once the silver has been cleansed it’s dried fully to remove any excess moisture that could interfere with the next phase.
Step 6: Molding (APPLYING MORE HEAT). Before silver can take its desired shape, it must be formed and molded. This requires remelting the purified silver in a furnace.
Step 7: Purity Testing (FINAL TESTING). Lastly the final product must be RE-TESTED to ensure its purity. The main indication that silver has been fully purified is if the silversmith is able to see their reflection in the metal. If they are not and further purification is needed then more refining steps can be taken after. No matter how many times the cycle has to be repeated, the silversmith repeats the process until the silver is without impurities.
I know what you may be thinking …. what does all of this have to do with me. You didn’t come here for a chemistry lesson, so how is this relevant to your life?
It’s relevant because God is directly speaking to us about what the process of His promise is going to require. The promise sounds good and looks nice, but there is nothing cute about silver refining…yet we all will experience it. However, God has given us the PPE (protective gear) that we need, and that’s our faith in Him and his written word. We dare not enter into any part of the refining process without our gear because it’s dangerous and could take us out.
The point is for us to develop a mindset of expectation, not just for the promise but the hardships that will be attached to it. Purification can be messy and brutal, but just because it is doesn’t mean it’s not working towards something greater. The process wasn’t meant to destroy you and the process isn’t where you quit.
Psalms 12:6 is reassurance that adverse conditions still produce pure outcomes. However, if we keep viewing our adversities as hurdles opposed to as opportunities, we will miss the what God is trying to do. We must be willing to endure the refining, and remember that it’s His image that he wants to see reflected in us at the end.
So, the next time you find yourself in an adverse season, remember silver doesn’t start out as silver. It’s having to undergo a process until it is reflective of the hands it’s was placed in.