Let us read two Psalms of penitence. Repentance, and faith go hand in hand all the way to heaven. Repenting and believing make up a large measure of the Christian life. First, let us read the 51 st Psalm, penned by David after his great sin with Bathsheba, when, by the instrumentality of Nathan, he had been led to repentance. What if we have not fallen into any gross open sin. Yet, mayhap, if we could see our hearts, as God sees them, we should be as much ashamed as the Psalmist was when to the music of his sighs and groans, he poured out this Psalm.
Psalms 51:1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
What delicious words those are! «Thy loving-kindness.» I have sometimes felt glad to be a Saxon, that I should speak a language that had such delightful words in it. «Loving-kindness,» «tender mercy.» Now, the eye that is quickest to see the tenderness of God is the eye of repentance, for the sinner who feels condemnation in his own heart looks so keenly after everything that may make for his comfort, and his eye lights on the tender mercies and loving-kindness of God. The prayer is for pardon; nay, it is for purification, as well as pardon.
Psalms 51:2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Take out this plague spot. I cannot bear it longer. Oh! cleanse me from every trace of it, my God, I beseech thee.
Psalms 51:3. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
I tell it to thee because it haunts me. It is always present to my mind. It seems painted on my eyeballs. I cannot but see it, turn whichever way I may.
Psalms 51:4. 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.
He had sinned against his people, setting them an ill-example sinned against Bath-Sheba and Uriah; but he sees the whole evil concentrating itself, as it were, upon his God. He felt that the virus of the whole thing was that he had done dishonour to the name of the Most High, whose servant he was.
Psalms 51:5-7. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me. and В· shall be whiter than snow.
«Behold,» says he, as if to go to the bottom of it, and to show that sin was not an accident with him, but that he himself was sinful. It was a grand faith it was an Abrahamic faith that when a man had such a sense of sin as David had, he at the same time could believe in the cleansing power of the blood. For you do not know what sin is, and who have never groaned beneath the burden, to talk about the pardoning blood oh! it is easy enough, and there is nothing in it; but for a soul that knows the guilt and feels it. and is burdened by it, still to believe in the power of the atoning sacrifice this is faith indeed. David had seen the priest take the bunch of hyssop and dip it in the warm blood of the goat or the bullock, and then sprinkle it; and he says, «Lord, do the same with me with that richer blood of divine atonement « that blood which, in David's day, was yet to be shed. «Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.»
Psalms 51:8-10. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Lord, the mischief lies deep. Strike at the root of it. I would not have thee to wash out a spot only, but go to my heart and renew that, that I may sin no more.
Psalms 51:11-14. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways: and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
In that verse there is one of the surest mares of David's sincere repentance, namely, that he calls his sin by its right name « blood-guiltiness.» I have no doubt that he had said to himself that Uriah died by accident, and pleaded very much to excuse and extenuate his guilt. But now he outs with it. That is the word « blood-guiltiness.» It is no use trying to apologize and excuse yourselves before God. As long as that is done, no pardon will ever be applied to the conscience; but when the sin is seen in its true colors, then shall those colors be washed away, and we shall be whiter than snow. «Then will I teach transgressors thy ways.» He felt that if God would pardon him, he would be the man to tell of God's way of mercy to others. And I trust, dear friends, if we have tasted that the Lord is gracious, our witness will never be silent about the goodness and the mercy of the Lord. If you have never spoken to others, begin Tonight. Teach others the ways of God to you
Psalms 51:15-19. O Lord open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Sure to be good times when men are under a sense of pardoned sin. None serve him so well as those whose sins are washed away who feel the same within. Now, we will read the 32 nd Psalm.
This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 51, 32.