_Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness._
THE FIFTY-FIRST PSALM
A darker guilt you will scarcely find--kingly power abused--worst
passions yielded to. Yet this psalm breathes from a spirit touched
with the finest sensibilities of spiritual feeling. Two sides of our
mysterious t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin._
DAVID’S CRY FOR PARDON
I. How David thought of his sin. The repetition of these petitions
show his earnestness of soul. In like manner he asks for the gifts of
God’s Spirit.
1. He speaks of transgressions, the individual acts of s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy
sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be
clear when Thou judgest._
UNIMPEACHABLE JUSTICE
Our subject will be, that both in the condemnation and in the
punishment of every sinner God will be justified. Now, c... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive
me._
ORIGINAL DEPRAVITY
Men may come upon this doctrine one of two different ways.
1. As a dogma in theology. The first thing that some theologians do is
to assail human nature, to describe it as covered with wounds, bruises
and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold Thou desirest truth in the inward parts._
TRUTH IN THE INWARD PARTS
Some of us may remember the interesting story with which the
apocryphal Book of Esdras commences. The inquiry is started, “What
is strongest?” and this is submitted to the judgment of three young
men of the king’s guard. Wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean._
PRAYER AN INDEX OF THE HEART
Men’s prayers are this. And they show, also, how far men agree with
one another, for if we sincerely unite in the prayers of other men,
whether living or dead, this shows that we feel as they did and
believe what they belie... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me._
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF TRANSGRESSION
I. The proposition. “I acknowledge my transgressions,” etc.
1. Simply and absolutely.
(1) There’s the mental acknowledgment in the mind, so as to own it.
This was one thing which David here did,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Make me to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast
broken may rejoice._
THE DEPRESSION OF BELIEVERS
This is the language of David at a period of trouble. His soul was
depressed. He was fully conscious of his sins, but he was not
conscious of forgiveness. He pleads with God for pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities._
GOD’S PARDONING GRACE
This psalm is made up partly of confessions and acknowledgments of his
great crimes, partly of petitions and supplications, wherein he
intercedes for pardon, and prays for forgiveness. And this was but
necessary to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within
me._
A CLEAN HEART
I. The blessing asked for. It may refer to two distinct graces,
conversion or entire sanctification. For when a man is converted there
is still in him an inclination to evil, the struggle between the flesh
and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from
me._
A MOST NEEDFUL PRAYER CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT
This psalm is, beyond all others, a photograph of penitent David. You
may have seen that interesting slab of stone which bears on its
surface indications of the fall of rain... [ Continue Reading ]
_Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation._
THE FALLEN CHRISTIAN PRAYING FOR SPIRITUAL JOY
He asks that God would clear away his sorrows as well as his sins,
make once again a happy man of him; so that he may not only rise up
from the ground on which he has fallen and go on his heavenly way,
but,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation;
and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness._
SOUL MURDER--WHO IS GUILTY
Some may question whether such a text as this should be chosen for an
ordinary congregation, No one here is guilty of blood. But there are
more ways... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise._
THE LIPS DIVINELY OPENED
I. A humiliating fact implied. Sin seals the lips.
1. In our approaches to God, sin is a barrier to all spiritual
freedom. When overwhelmed with guilt and shame, the soul is ready to
exclaim with David... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it; Thou
delightest not in burnt-offering._
THE SERVICE WHICH DAVID WOULD NOT RENDER
1. He declines a superfluous and unnecessary service; he will not give
that; this is one thing which he resolves on, and it is a good
resolution in him. In the w... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite
heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise._
A BROKEN AND A CONTRITE HEART
What is a broken heart? We use the expression to set forth the effects
of heavy affliction and sorrow. And so here, the broken heart tells of
deep sorrow on accou... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be
converted unto Thee._
THE CHRISTIAN’S GREAT BUSINESS
Sinners are all around us living in their sins. Some of these
wandering ones are in great misery every day, as the result of their
sins; and all, whether suffering or not, are robbi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with
burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering._
SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
They are called the sacrifices of righteousness, which are offered
rightly, and according to the true intent and meaning, and order of
God’s law. The law of G... [ Continue Reading ]