January 1932
40
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
God’s W ord is that it does not seek to cover the failures o f even its greatest men. Witness David, the king, the anoint ed of God, through whom the Christ would come, the man in whom God delighted; yet David sinned a grievous, black, ugly sin, and, in the repetition o f its awfulness, there is hope for every one who has sinned. This psalm is sacred in that it is the prayer o f a soul in anguish before God. There was a year between David’s sin and his confession. It had been a year o f anguish o f soul. He describes it in the Thirty-second Psalm, “ My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me.” I. The Confession (vs. 3, 4). David had sinned and had lived for a year in that sin. Nathan came and stirred David’s sluggish conscience. Sometimes God has to send a messenger to awaken the sinner. A second evidence o f God’s dis pleasure was shown in the illness o f Da vid’s child. David met the exposition of his sin by making a full confession. This is the first step in forgiveness and restora tion. “ I f we confess our sins, he is faith ful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). II. The Plea for Pardon. 1. On the ground o f God’s mercy (v. n . “ Have mercy upon me, O God, ac cording to thy lovingkindness: ac cording unto the multitude o f thy tender mercies.” As a convicted sin ner, he dare not ask for justice. 2. On the ground o f God’s grace. a. T o blot out the past. (1 ) “ Blot out my transgressions” (v. 1). (2) “ Hide thy face from my sins” (v. 9). (3 ) “ Blot out all mine iniqui ties” (v. 9). b. To cleanse by water. (1 ) “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity” (v. 2). (2 ) “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (v. 7). c. T o cleanse by blood. (1 ) “ Cleanse me from my sin” (v. 2). (2 ) “ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” (v. 7). III. The Prayer for Restoration. David had gotten away from God. Sin always separates. David specifically re quests the restoration o f seven lost things. 1. Restoration o f joy. “ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice” (v. 8). “ Restore unto me the joy of thy sal vation” (v. 12). 2. Restoration o f purity. “ Create in me a clean heart, O G od ; and renew a right spirit within me” (v. 10). 3. Restoration o f communion. “ Cast me not away from thy pres ence; and take not thy holy spirit from me” (v. 11). Sin keeps the Christian from the presence o f God and from the full ness o f the Spirit. Since the day oi Pentecost, the Spirit is never taken entirely from the believer, but it L very possible to grieve Him. 4. Restoration o f freedom.
through Christ-centered trusting. The man who would keep from worrying about his troubles must keep his eyes fixed on the Lord. IV. “Do Good.” If “trust in the Lord” is the answer to the “ fret not,” then “do good” is the an swer to the “envy not.” The logic is per fectly simple. The person who is busy do ing good does not have time to envy those who work iniquity. One cannot be doing good and evil at the same time. “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” The statement, “trust in the Lord, and do good,” is the comprehensive summary o f the secret o f peace; however, the psalmist then proceeds to illuminate it by dealing with the spe cific qualities involved in trust. V. “Delight Thyself also in the Lord." “And he shall give thee the desires o f thine heart.” Alexander Maclaren says, “ The great reason why life is troubled and restless lies not without, but within. It is not our changing circumstances, but. our unregu lated desires, that rob us of peace. W e are feverish, not because of the external tem perature, but- because o f the state o f our own blood.” The one who is seeking peace must delight himself in the Lord. “ Seek ye first the kingdom o f God.” “ That in all things he might have the preeminence.” Christ Himself rather than His gifts should be the delight of the Christian. VI. “ Commit Thy Way unto the Lord.” The marginal comment on this verse is “roll thy way on the Lord.” Commit to Him the decision in the little affairs o f life. I f the way is committed to Him, the prob lem o f guidance will be very simple. This does not mean the extinction, but the sub ordination, of one’s own inclinations. “Hold the will in equilibrium that His will Rest in the Lord depends upon commit ting the way to Him, and that in turn de pends upon delighting in Him. One need not be anxious about the future when it rests in His hands. If God wants His children in sotpe place, .and i f They re main humble., and in thl? center of His will, the deyffe in hell cannot keep them from their -rightful place. The problem of the Christian is to keep in the center of His will, and then He will give peace amid any and all circumstances. EAD AND MEDITATE Upon One of the following psalms each day, selecting one or more verses for memorizing. M O N D A Y : Read Psalm 51. TU E SD A Y : Read Psalm 52. W E D N E SD A Y : Read Psalm 53. TH U R SD A Y : Read Psalm 54. FR ID A Y : Read Psalm 55. S A T U R D A Y : Read Psalm 56. SUNDAY : Read Psalm 57. Expression One o f the encouraging things about may incline the balance.” V II. “Rest in the Lord.” FEBRUARY 21, 1932 The Secret of Forgiveness P salm ^51 Preparation
many are prone to indulge. They see the apparent success o f those whose methods are doubtful, and whose motives are not always above reproach. They see them acclaimed and their proud ways seemingly blessed, while the humble and righteous man is trodden under foot. The injunction against such an attitude is very clear, and the penalty for indulging in this feverish spirit of dissatisfaction is made plain. II. “Neither Be Thou Envious.” What a tendency there is to crave the so-called pleasures o f the worldly! There is too much discontent on the part of Christians, too much of fretting and envy. Be not envious o f the good times o f the workers of iniquity, for their many pos sessions, their prosperous ways, and their good times will all be “cut down.” III. “ Trust in the Lord.” It is an encouraging thing to note that the Bible stresses the positive more than the negative side o f life. David here gives a concrete illustration o f the way of vic tory and how to keep from fretfulness and envy. The corollary to “ fret not thy self” is “trust in the Lord.” The only way to be kept from self-centered fretting is
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