The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-04-27


found I'm Psalms 81; lila
INTRODUCTORY.
This has been called the "Backsl.ders'
Psalm;n and certainly there Is a word here
for the backslidden, OF which they may
well take heed. 1t has also been called the
@Penitents' Psalm,p as indicating the ac-
ceptable method OF approach To God. 1t Is
for all OF the Sinners Psalm. and there
is no redeemed child OF God who does not
find chord OF his soul here touched ana
made to sound its note. 1t Is not so much
of sin that We read as of sensHiveness to
sin. 1t was this that saved David, this
and PROSTATE prayer. What but this can
lead to salvation to-day?
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Have mercy. First meaning incline to-
wards, pity. Lowing kindness word
also signifying, originally, TO bend toward.
His dependence is on Gods goodness. s.
Tender mercies. One word, tenderness
Hebrew: bowels blot out Literally.
wipe out or smear over. as in erasing from
wax The same word is translated wipe In
the strong passage regarding Jerusalem's
DESTRUCTION at Kings 81: 10.
Wash me. First meaning. to tire I'd. as in
trampling clothes in the tub with the feet
Thoroughly. Multiply to wash. !. e.,
go on washing, or as the Douay happily
puts it, "wash me yet more. ""Cleanse.
The strongest word yet used. Literally,
made bright or shining. as 1t were by
Sin. Distinguishable from the other
words as by "A kind of climax. thus: "trans-
gression" (rebellion), "iniquity" (perverse-
nessS, "sin" Failure, fOrfeiture)
l acknowledge More accurately, dis
Germ So agreeing with ,he rest or the
verse. The pronoun 1 is emphatic. -
Ever before me or In front OF me.
Thee only Literally in separation, O..
by ones self, as IL he and God were alone In
the universe, This evil Omit this.
The emphasis II on this IN thy sight,
literally, in thy eyes. Douay: before thee.
Revision: that which is evil --Mightest
be justified when thou speaketh. Rather
highest Justify (lIipheD, !. e., have right
to Justify by his decisions the doctrine OF
justification by grace through faith
Be clear when thou judgest. Hlphel
again. Leave off the be, so reading that
thou mightest clear when thou judgest
The same doctrine OF justification taught
in the sentence above. We make these
suggestions with dffidence, but in fidelity
to the Hebrew text.
Shapen In iniquity. An allied meaning
Is begun In iniquty. The two parts OF the
sentence re-echo the same thought OF he
redty in sim
Behold. The two behold clauses balance
each other, /. e., though shapen In iniquity,
yet God desires truth within.-Ihou de-
sirest, or wilest 1t is Gods pleasure an
behest that even these sinful hearts shall
acknowledge him. Hidden part. The
cloister OF the soul where every man meets
God There is much to favor Jerome's ar
rangement so given In the Douay here,
closing the first part OF the sentence with
the word truth, and connecting both sin
ward parts" and "hidden part with the last
verb
Purge Originally the word for sin, used
at v. 3 above. Secondary meaning TO bear
sin for one. hence, TO atone, to purify.
ceremonial term-Hyssop plant used
Ia, tai l. Nv no
reference is to che blood of redemp tion
Gods part, and not to the water of hap
tism, the ackno wlcdgment OF such cleans
ing mans part.-Clean. Same word used
at v. (cleanse). wash. Same word as
in V. .. Gods sanctlfying.
Bones which thou hast broken, !. e.. In
humiliation.-May rejoice. The word for
exultant joy, whirl, or circle in joy. Only
the humbled know this experience OF ex-
altation.
Hide. or cover veil The phrase means
to disregard, to forgive.-Blot out Same
word at V. 1. repeated prayer. the word
all being here added, however.
Create. strong word, suggestive OF
Gods sovereignty in conversion and sane
tifcation.-Clean. Same word as V. z.
Renew. To make new.-A right
spirit; or steadfast spirit, from the word TO
aud or to be established.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
My sin is ever before me. Yes. but it ia
behind Gods back. Before us, in a sense.
it still Is because in penitence we look
toward God, and back OF him is our sin.
Back Of him. and out OF sight to the true
believer. AS David In humble confession
views his wretched SHINING and calls upon
God, presently there stands between him
and that sin obscuring vision, a form.
marred, yet prevailing, and now we hear
him saying. almost exultantly. "The sacri-
fees OF God are broken spirit broken
a-laz a I.NI
despise.n The same mercy that avails to-
day availed for King David. The image or
the Christ, though not so distinct as to US,
on this side the cross, showed the sams
lineaments of love and forgiveness. From
the first, where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. Looking toward my
sin. 1 behold an intervening. interceding
Savior.
Purge me with hyssop. The appeal is to
God not to any priest Only God can
purge from sin, only He can cleanse and re-
new 1t is Christ's blood and regeneration
through Hin that Is intimated here And
what about baptism? II this mean bap-
tsm, then IL means also ba ptismal regener-
alton. But baptism IS not cleansing or re-
newal. 1t Is the answer OF good con-
science toward Cod mans voluntary re-
spouse 20 GJd's regenerative work and his
acceptance and declaration thereof. Right
here the Baptist consistently parts COM
PAM with the Catholic view and all Pedo-
baptist shadings of Catholic belief that lie
between. The preacher is not a priest Inn
parting something He Is as nothing COM
pared with God who regt nerates and the
soul which accepts and announces that re-
generation. The cry OF John the Baptist Is
the cry OF all his brethren since "he must
increase, but must decrease"
Then will teach transgressors thy ways.
Let us leave IL as first written. the simple
declaration that he Will teach trans
gressors the ways Of God 1t was not nec-
essary that he should be restored to JOY or
acceptance before he could teach the
righteousness OF Jehovah. He was teach
Ing Gods ways all the time. His very dis
tresses under sin were "A testimony to the
truth OF Co.'s word; every mans life Is "a
witness 10 heavens righteous law We are
too much disposed to accent the then. As
+, IL one much wait for joy before he can tell
the truth. How about jeremiah; how
about John the Baptist? There is blessed
truth which only they who have the JOY OF
the Lord can emphasize; but surely Gods
ways with transgressors find larger in
timation.
Next lesson-"Delight In Gods House. "
Ps. 81: 1-12.