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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (6-8-2002 Framsden Baptist Church)
This is the fourth of the seven penitential psalms
(Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143), and the greatest of them all. Often
called “the sinner’s guide”, it is one of the most profound statements in
Scripture about human sin. Athanasius (296-373), Bishop of Alexandria,
recommended Christians to repeat it when they awaken at night. Luther said,
“There is no other psalm which is oftener sung or prayed in church”. Thomas
Chalmers said, “This is the most deeply affecting of all the psalms, and I am
sure the most applicable to me.” Alexander Maclaren said, “Thousands have
found in the words of this psalm the best expression of their most sacred
emotions.”
The traditional background to
the writing of this psalm is David’s adultery with Bathsheba, together with
the death of her husband Uriah in battle – a death arranged by David so that
he could marry Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 & 12). God answered by sending Nathan
the prophet with the parable of the poor man’s lamb taken by the rich man to
feed a visitor. His devastating words of condemnation - “Thou art the man”
– must have led to David’s conviction of sin. After an interval, David wrote
this psalm, when he was still conscience-stricken, expressing his penitence and
longing for forgiveness and restoration to full fellowship with God.
Going to look at the message of this psalm and think about the matter and effect of sin in the believer’s life nowadays. This psalm will give us one of the deepest insights into the nature and effects of sin.
Three words are used for sin in this psalm, each with different emphasis. “Transgression” (Psalm 51:1) implies rebellion, breaking away from God’s authority, opposition to His will. “Iniquity” (Psalm 51:4) implies twisted, warped, deviating from the straight line. Instead of running along the line of God’s law, our lives have bent and turned away, they are crooked not straight. Then “sin” (Psalm 51:2) means to miss the mark. God’s will is our aim and goal, but we are wide of the mark. We were made for God. To take something else for our true destiny is to miss what life is all about, therefore we miss true satisfaction. Thus, to sin means to be a rebel, to be twisted, and to miss our aim and true destiny. All our sins can be described in these three ways.
Sin’s true source is within
– the heart. God is more concerned about what goes on in our inner parts, than
in our outward acts and words. We inherited sinful nature from our parents and
so on, back to our first parents as a result of the Fall. Surely you desire
truth in the inner parts (Psalm 51:6), but He does not find it there.
God’s concern is with the real self.
We live in an age of appearances
– it’s all about spin, image, making a good impression. We are all actors
and pretenders. Like some old houses – “Queen Anne at the front, Mary Ann at
the back”. Like trying to clean the clock’s face when the real trouble is
that the mainspring is broken, or the battery is flat. Sin is not like a little
skin complaint. It is a malignant cancer affecting our whole nature. It has
entered every man’s moral and spiritual blood stream.
The doctrine of original sin, unpopular as it is, states the grim reality which alone explains our lives, the state of families, society and the nation. Until we face it, we will never understand ourselves, or the Christian Gospel. The Gospel is not for scholars or philosophers, but for sinners, “for those whose mouths are stopped and who stand condemned at the bar of God” (J.Denney).
David appeals to God’s mercy. Have
mercy on me according to your unfailing love (Psalm 51:1). Be gracious and
kind, show pity and compassion. He was aware he has no claim upon God; he does
not deserve any favours. Sheer mercy is his only hope. Blot out my
transgressions – wipe the blackboard clean, use tippex to cover up ink
stain, or scrape the pagan writings off the manuscript and replace them with
Christian writings. Life can be written over by the Holy Spirit, and former
writing erased. The past is not irrevocable. We can begin again. What was
written in life’s diary can be blotted out.
Wash away all my iniquity (Psalm
51:2). Reference to the way housewives did washing. Soaked clothes in water,
then tread, trample and beat them to get dirt out. David wants to be cleansed
and purified even if it is a long hard process, regardless of the discipline and
rough treatment – as long as the foul spots are removed. Cleanse me from my
sin – as when a leper was cleansed from his disease. The same words are
found in v.7 – Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I
shall be whiter than snow. No half measures here. Hide your face from my
sins (Psalm 51:9). He does not want God to look at his sins. He wants them
to be forgotten.
But he also needs as new heart
and new nature. Hence his concern with sanctification as well as justification. Create
in me a pure heart, O Lord, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm
51:10). He is asking for a miracle – he wants to be remade. Only God can do
that. He can change the very springs of our character. Not just improved, but
renewed. Not just repaired, but created anew. He seeks a thorough renovation of
his nature. His hope is in the grace and power of God. He does not plead his own
merit; he has no confidence in himself. His only contribution is heartfelt,
open, honest, unreserved acknowledgement of his sin and condition. I know my
transgressions, and my sin is always before me (Psalm 51:3). He confesses
his sin and knows God is right to condemn him (Psalm 51:4).
Men of the Old Testament have much to teach us in the realm of personal experience, though we could fill in experience with basic doctrine – all possibilities through and because of Christ. But here in the Old Testament, as in the New Testament, is Evangelical conversion.
He longs to enjoy fellowship
with God again. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit
from me (Psalm 51:11). This had happened to Saul, and David did not want it
to happen to himself. (N.B. “Holy Spirit” is only used three times in the
Old Testament – once here, and twice in Isaiah 63:10,11).
Restore to me the joy of your
salvation (Psalm 51:12). And then he will witness to others about what God
has done, and try to urge them to enjoy the same blessings (Psalm 51:13).
“Penitents should be preachers” (Matthew Henry). Finally he makes a promise
– Open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise (Psalm 51:15).
Sin had sealed his lips. Now they are open to speak freely about the Lord.
So this psalm moves from the blackest moment of David’s sense of guilt to this note of praise. David gives us a profound understanding of sin and also most vivid teaching about salvation and its consequences. There is much here about our relationship to God. David sensed the depths and heights more than many do nowadays. It is not enough to be upset by the consequences of sin. Need to be utterly sick of sin itself. And when we reach that point, we can be comforted to know that a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Psalm 51:17).
We will never get to the point where we do not need to
pray this prayer or think about its teaching. “The best of men need to be
warned against the worst of sins.” “God’s Word has a great deal more to
say about the sin of God’s people than it does about the sin of those who do
not know Him… God is shocked at sin… Christians take it for granted.”
[unclear where these quotations are taken from]
David was a man of God who fell
deeply into sin. The Bible never whitewashes its heroes. As believers, they are
forgiven, justified, children of God – but they are not perfect. We need not
sin. We ought not to sin. But we do sin. We do not lose our salvation and have
to start all over again. Cannot be saved today and lost tomorrow. When we sin,
we fall on the deck, but not overboard.
Like a child who has done wrong,
and is in great disfavour, he is still a member of the family. Sin does not
break the union, but it breaks the communion. Sin, unconfessed and unforsaken,
results in serious spiritual consequences. For one thing, in this state God
cannot answer our prayers. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would
not have listened (Psalm 66:18). Sin pollutes us. We have a weight on our
conscience, and a barrier between us and the Lord. It rises before us when we
try to pray. It robs us of joy. The true Christian is never happy when sin is
not dealt with.
Sin impairs our Christian
service. We cannot speak or preach with a clear conscience. We can go through
the motions, but our heart is not in it. God no longer feels a reality to us. We
are out of touch. No hunger or thirst. Spiritual truth – we can hear it, agree
with it, talk about it – but it is unreal. Leads to all kinds of wrong
relationships. Need to take action.
Begin with assurance of God’s
mercy if we return to Him on His conditions. God has not given us up – though
we may feel like He has. Fortunately He has far more patience than we could ever
hope for. His concern is not to punish us but to restore us. He longs for us to
return.
“For the love of God is broader
Than
the measures of man’s mind.
And
the heart of the eternal
Is
most wonderfully kind.”
God wants us to return and is waiting for us to return.
His arms are open wide. We must acknowledge sin, confess it fully and frankly.
Not vague and general, but specific. Name it. Face it. Be realistic. Make a
complete and honest confession. Then ask for forgiveness. Earnestly, because you
need it. Confidently, because He has promised it.
But you must ask, else you will
not receive. When God forgives, He forgets. Seek the renewing power of the Holy
Spirit. Confession to be conscientiously and regularly performed. Need tender
conscience. “Keep short account with God”. Having got right with God,
testify to others about His welcome, and the relief in confession.
Do you need to get right with Him before you can pray? It is possible to pray if you are in the wrong with Him, but your prayers will be formal, cold and heartless. When you are right with Him, your prayers are heartfelt, meaningful and earnest. But get back you must, else you are wasting your life and perpetuating misery, and grieving Him.
