The National tribune., 1889-10-17
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study OF the Inte
national Sunday school Lesson AppOiated Il
Oct. %. Ps, 80.

OCi- zss as De
zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures
Indicated abovc.l
PENrANcE AS ILLUSTRATED BY DAvID's
EXPERIENCE.
!. Data.
Our study is one of the $50 Psalms. So large
q number of the Psalms were written by David
that the entire collection is styled The Psalms
of David. To understand Psalm y one should
read chapters IL and IL of 2 Samuel. We no.
tce that the only name used in the Psalm for
God is Jehovah. This Psalm is one of seven
named the Penitental Psalms. The others
are Psalms 6, So 81, 102. 80, I43. We notice
an inscription at the bead of the Psalm:
Psalm of David. MaschiI.' The words 4
Psafm are printed in italics, showing they are
not in the original Hebrew. They are supplied
from the Sertuagint.
The word Maschil il peculiar That word
occurs in the inscriptions of Is Psalms, to wit,
Psalms ~, ~, 45 81, SO, 81, %, n, ~, So, 80
1i2. The word means. An Instruction. Ps.
- Is n ddactic poem. In verse we read,
will Instruct The original for the word g in
struct is the same as that for Maschif. 1t IS
certain the Psalm is full of wise teaching.
The word Scah occurs Mt the end of verses
and ). 10 is found in - Psalms "a times, aud
IN the book of Habakkuk three times II times
lament The most general opinion is that
SeIah ia direction to the musician. IL is
practically without any Specification to Us.
The Revised Version gives it q mere side place
in the text
Grotius held that Ps. 81 was sung on the Day
Of Atonefsent
We observe that the Psalm is totally subject
i've. No outward acts are mentioned, no sacri-
fees, rites, etc.
2. Time.
rs. - was written probably in the year z. c.
1884. ChronologicaIly it falls in just alter .
Sam. chapter IL. That was about 20 years alter
David became King He may have been, say,
10 years OF age when he wrote rs. j.
g. Place.
The Psalm was written at Jerusalem. That
was then the Capital. There was David's pal
ace.
A. Arthor.
1t is without doubt that David composed
Psalm 81. The title says. - 4 Psalm Of David -
But st. Paul plainly ascribcs the authorship of
David. tSee Ro., a. 6-5.l Then we know the
Psalm fits the case of David David's name is
prefxed TO 20 Of the Psalms
5. Occasion
As rule the life of David was commendabIe
His great sin was in the casc Of Bathsheba
Il XII. 1880 This matter is presented In the
ment to the commission of any similar sin.
10 was tho blot on his life. From the very fact
Of his general good conduct ie was the more
sensitive rs 10 sin and the more shocked aud
distressed over his fall The Psalm Is "A beau
tiful Offset to the history of his foul deeds as
recorded in Sam, chapters IL and II. The
description in vs.. 3 aud Of the Psalm shows
tue fearful rctribution following wrong doing.
g. Design.
III 81 f.
propheticaly concerning the redemption
We notice the New Testament tone running
throughout the verse Of the Psalm IL has
much of the spirit Of ST. PauPs epistcs Indeed
he was familiar with it, quoting from it, aud.
perhaps, borrowing from it some of his own
phraseology Scott says, 'fhe Psalm teaches
the true doctrine of repentance" It shows
the painfuness OF suppressed guilt; the Joy Of
confession; the condition of pardon; tho duties
of the pnnitent David's object was To furnish
to the Church liturgy form of words by which
10 express the Joy of the sinner when conscious
of forgiveness The experience Of David would
be repeated in fact or in spirit again and again.
Many "a one might look in vain for words 10
express his feelings. David foresaw this and
furnished the Church a form destined to be oi
service during all time. Then David wanted
TO put his own repentance into permanent
furm, both as an expression of his own graft
tude aud as warning To AL ages thereafter.
Z. Repentance.
What Il repentance? The Westminster Cute
chism q. 81, asks g hat is repentance unto
iitcf A. Repentance unto life is q saving
grace. whereby a sinner out OF @ true sense of
his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God
IN Christ. doth, with grief and hatred OF his
sin. turn from 1t unto Cod. with full purpose
| Of, aud enneavor after. new obedience"
What IS wanted is eoHtrition which IA gen.
nine. deep. sorrow caused by the fact you have
sinncd against God and gFieyed your Heavenly
| Father. Attrition is simply the feeling dis
trcssed, because, having sinned, you fear pun
| ishment.
| Repentance is not the merely feeling had,
bat more property the feeling OF disgust at sin
with impulse TO flee from it. SO, Luther
! said, e" To do So more is the truest repent
anee." The terrible agony some experience is
caused rather by their not repenting; but, OH
| the contrary, their sticking out stubbornly in
| determi nation not Co admit their sins nor TO
seek for pardon. This was the case with David.
| HIS was wlllfully set in his purpose not to con-
| fess his wrongdoing. Meanwhile his soul was
! tossed aLoat in fearful contest. IL was not a
delay the part of God to forgive David, but
! his own stubbornncss in not seeking pardon
| that caused him such n dreadful struggle A
consciousness OF sin. the Smitings OF Que by his
| own sense OF personal evil, the realization you
| have offended God, wear on the body and mind.
a young man thus begins 10 feel the WEAKNESS
| Of old age; his very bones ache; he goes here
and there uttering groans over his deplorablc
! condition and instead of healthy glow to his
! skin he is conscious of fearful fever. His
! flesh, IS il were. crackles. As the soil in the
| Summers drought breaks open into seems, SO
| his skin is dry and rough.
| s. The Processes Of Repentance.
| The man having done wrong does not try to
| apologize for his sin, nor does he euphemise it.
| He opens his mouth, RETAINING from self wilIed
| silence and acknowledging his evil. He finds
/ that, il he restrain his better impulses prompt
| ing to open confession, he becomes utterly dis.
! tressed. Instead of covering his sins by lfoI
| admitting them, he acknowledges them and
| lets God cover them. Instead OF practically
| saying he has not sinned, by refusing to open
! his mouth in humble confession, and thus
| practically declaring he has no occasion fol
| forgiveness, he breaks the silence of stubborn
| refusal and earnestly beseeches God for pardon
| He realizes there can never again be peace for
| him until he has made an open, sincere. and
complete confession. With Gods heavy hand
| on him he can but roar in distress. While
silent as to his SINS he is boisterous in exca-
nations of pain and remorse. There is no lot
| up of conscience. So we read in V. 3. call the
day long" and in V. 4, "day and night" Con
fession is not pleasant in itself, bat it is the
way, and the only way, to quiet guilty con-
| science.
Now tho sinner has confessed lie no sooner
gives up his contest against the Holy Spirit
| than no begins TO feel the calm of forgiveness
the rest of soul peace the quiet of faith. We