Evening
Time: 8:56 PM PST
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my
tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness." --Psalm 51:14
In this SOLEMN CONFESSION, it is pleasing to observe that David plainly names
his sin. He does not call it manslaughter, nor speak of it as an imprudence by
which an unfortunate accident occurred to a worthy man, but he calls it by its
true name, bloodguiltiness. He did not actually kill the husband of Bathsheba;
but still it was planned in David's heart that Uriah should be slain, and he was
before the Lord his murderer. Learn in confession to be honest with God. Do not
give fair names to foul sins; call them what you will, they will smell no
sweeter. What God sees them to be, that do you labour to feel them to be; and
with all openness of heart acknowledge their real character. Observe, that David
was evidently oppressed with the heinousness of his sin. It is easy to use
words, but it is difficult to feel their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the
photograph of a contrite spirit. Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart;
for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not conscious of the
hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find forgiveness.
Our text has in it AN EARNEST PRAYER--it is addressed to the God of
salvation. It is His prerogative to forgive; it is His very name and
office to save those who seek His face. Better still, the text calls Him the God
of my salvation. Yes, blessed be His name, while I am yet going to Him
through Jesus' blood, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The psalmist ends with A COMMENDABLE VOW: if God will deliver him he will
sing--nay, more, he will "sing aloud." Who can sing in any other style of
such a mercy as this! But note the subject of the song--"THY RIGHTEOUSNESS." We
must sing of the finished work of a precious Saviour; and he who knows most of
forgiving love will sing the loudest.