The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-10-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
tNrEHNATIONAL LESSON ron
OCTOBER 81.


are supposed to have been written by David
after that dark chapter IN his life, and II we
might suppose the latter to have been writ
ten first. In the title this is called "a Psalm
Of David;' and in ii Sam. xiii, 1, @ he
Is called the sweet psalmist of Israel, and il
s written that .'the Spirit Of the Lord spaks
by him, and His word was in his tongue"
therefore we ought to come to these words
81 tho Spirit through David, firmly believ-
ing tRom. xv., A., and relying on the same
Spirit to give us the comfort and instruction
here for us. The word ''maschil." also in
the title, and used hero for the first time,
signifies ito act wisely" and surely David
lcted wisely when he confessed and received
forgiveness.
1, 3. "Transgression forgiven, " y " sin
covered, iniquity not imputed"
fransGression signifies the going beyond
| bounds or doing that which we should not do;
sin is coming short OF the mark, or leaving
npdone that which We ought to have done;
nquity signifies anything distorted or per-
verse, and seems to refer to the natural heart
which is all wrong since the fall and mani
! tests its perverseness in sin and hsnsgression;
so that here we have the whole matter of
wrong and wrong doing disposed of and for
ever settled in Gods appointed way. See IL
we can understand that way. The Holy
| Spirit, referring to these very words tells us
In Rom iv., SIS, that this doing away with
SIM and consequent imputation Of righteous
ness, is apart from any works on our part
but is entirely of grace, through the redemp-
| ton that is in Christ Jesus, and is freely
granted to every believer. The words I'm
whose spirit there is no guile" indicate that
to enjoy these blessings there must be on our
part the absence of ali deceit for that is the
| world and q sincere confession of, and turn
Ing away from, the sin or transgression.
Coming thus, with true penitence and humil
| ity, and trusting only in the merits and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ who was made sin
| for us, and who bare our sins in His own body
| on the cross I'll Cor. W, 81; Pet H., 24),
| We may be as sure as We arc that God lives
that He, for Christs sake, has blotted out all
more Qsa. xiii, 25; Eph iv, Sa); that be-
ing justified by faith wehave peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Golden
| textl
3, when kept silence" Now, that is
sometimes good thing to do, and David
more than once practiced it wisely Ps.
xxxviii., ID; xxx, /, y, but when MS in
this case there was sin TO be confessed, it was
no time to keep silent, and he here tells us of
his sufferings on account of his sinful silence
as warning to us. "He that covereth his
sins shall not prosper; but whose confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have mercy
8. III acknowledged, Thou for
gavest." Some one has said that sin ,lpcon-
torments but the lance gives relief; sincere
confession is the lance which brings the peace
of forgiveness.
6. "For this shall every ons that is godly
pray unto Thee" Every sinner rejoicing in
the forgiveness Of sins is an encouragement
to others to come and obtain the like bless
ing; every Christian who has had tho Joy Of
salvation (Which they had for a time lost by
transgressionl restored TO him is an encour
agement to other blacksliders to return.
:. "Thou art my hiding place." Notice
the word thou three times in this verse;
it is God Himself who is our hiding place,
preserver and deliverer. David had been
hiding from God, like Adam and Eve in the
GARDEN Of Eden Gen Ill; s TO- ha. n1M vlli mis-
is sure and safe hiding isa assiBRSt ali others
will be swept away lisa, xviii, IN.
the way which thou shalt go" Evidently the
Lord is now speaking in reply to David, for
no one can instruct and teach like Him, and
no one is capable but Him. He has not
promised that we shall have no trouble, that
the contrary He has told us that "In the
world we shall have trbulation," and that 'al
that will live godiy in Christ Jesus shall suf-
fer persecution" lohn xvi, IS; II Tim. ILL,
12); but He has promised to be with us in the
trouble, and thus lead us, while He preserves
us from being in any way injured by it. The
word here translated instruct" signifies to
make successful or prosperous, as In Josh. l.,
z, S; Kings H., 3, where 1t is so translated;
but the moro common Old Testament word
for instruction signifies chastiseinent; it
| therefore becomes us. IL we sincerely desire
| to be led by Him, to believe that He does
| lead us. and in what seems ofttimes to be tho
! most adverse circumstances, We should hear
| Him say: II am the Lord thy God who
teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee
by the way that thou shouldcst so" Qsa.
! Xviii, IN.
81 will guide thee with Mine eye" Notice
| the marginal reading, which seems equal to
saying: II will tell you how to go and then
way" or as it is plainly stated in lisa. XXX:
81: Chime ears shall hear word behind
thee, saying: This is the way, walk ye in 1t,
when We turn TO the right hand and when yee
turn to the left" With such great and
precious promises how quiet we should be.
o. "Be We not as the horse or as the mule. VI
1t is manifest in everyday life that the big.
gest mule is not always the one in the traces
and that horse often knows more than his
driver Balaams ass saw more than it,
master and opened its mouth to some pur
pose; but the rule prevails that horses and
| mules have not the wisdom of men and must
be restrained and guided by bit and bride
Now. when men and women, and particularly
Christians, need to be restrained by the bit
and bride of circumstances, which are God'
providences, instead of meekly and trust
ingly following their Shepherd, IL is anything
but credtable to them, and does no honor t.
that beautiful name BY which they are called
10. MANY sorrows shall be TO the wicked
but he that trusted in the Lord, mercy shal
compass him about" Sorrows touch til
righteous as we'll as the wicked, but the sor
rows of the righteous are blessings in dis
guise, for the loving hand of the Lord is il
every one of them. and no matter what they
look like they are all goodness and mercy, s.
that the believer may truly say in all hi
sorrows: 'Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.
uI Cor. vi, 1OD The sorrows of the wicked
on the other hand. are only the foretaste o
greater sorrows in the future, when 9Th
wicked shall be turned into hell, end all tn
nations that forget God" Ps. ix., 11)
H. "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice "
righteous" Not circumstances nor feelings
not things around us or within US, rot wha
we do nor what is done for us, but Tho Lor
Himself, and the Lord alone, is to lie our sal
walton, our joy, our strength, and that at al
times.
shout for joy, all We that are upright il
heart" We may be glad and rejoice in
very quiet way, but here is authority to max
our Joy known: the inhabitsnt of Zion Is eS
horted to cry out and shout because the Hol
One of Israel is in the midst lisa. xii, 6): an
when the Lord reigns supreme and nlono j
any heart it will be hard to suppress a res
"Hallelujahr' As 1t is only thoss who com
without guile who con receive forgiveness, 8
It Is only the upright OF sincerewh can trul
rejoice In the cord: Lesson Helper.
A nEMAnKABLE DINNER
1 A - ~