Western Kansas world., 1892-04-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.

I6OOGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
| 4 Pleasant, Interesting, and INSTRUCTIVE
Lesson and Where 1t May BE Sound-A
Learned and Concise Review Of the
Same.
The Prayer Of the Penitent.
The lesson for Sunday. May I. may be
found in Psalms 81: LA
INTRODUCTORY.
This has been called the @Backsliders'
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
| sPenitents' Psalm,n as indicating the ac-
ceptable method Of approach to God. 1t is
| for all Of Us the Sinners Psalm. and there
is no redeemed child Of God who does not
| find chord of his soul here touched and
| made to sound its note. 1t is not so much
| Of sin that We read as of sensitiveness 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.-Loying kindness. A word
also signifying, originally, to bend toward.
His dependence is on Gods goodness
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 2 Kings 81: 13.
Wash me. First meaning. to trend. as in
trampling clothes in the tub with the feet.
Thoroughly. Multiply to wash. e.,
go on washing, or as the Douay happily
puts 1t, "wash me yet more. e."-Cleanse.
The strongest word yet used. Literally,
made bright or shining, as it were, by
securing. The word for ritual purifying.
Sin. Distinguishable from the other
words as by kind Of climax. thus: @trans-
gression" (rebellion), @iniquityn (perverse-
ness, "sin" failure, forfeiture).
l acknowledge. Mere accurately, dis
Germ So agreeing with the rest OF the
verse. The pronoun l is emphatic
Ever before me or in front Of me.
Thee only. Literally in separation. t. e..
the universe, This evil. Omit this
The emphasis IS on this.--In thy sight,
literally, in thy eye:. Douay: before thee.
Revision: that which is evil L--Mightest
be justified when thou speaketh. Rather,
Mightest justify (HipheD, !. e., have right
to Justify by his decisions, the doctrine of
justification by grace through faith
Be clear when thou judgest Hiphel
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 diffidence, but in fidelity
to the Hebrew text.
Shapen in fniquity. An allied meaning
is begun in iniquity. The two parts OF the
sentence re-echo the same thought of he
redity in sin.
Behold. The two behold clauses balance
each other, j. e., though shapen in iniquity.
yet God desires truth Within Thou de-
sirest, or wilest. 1t is Gods pleasure and
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 ain
ward parts" and "hidden partn with the last
verb
Purge. Originally tho word for sin. used
at v. above. Secondary meaning. to bear
sin for one. hence, to atone, to purify, a
ceremonial lterm.-Hyssop. A plant used
in ceremonial sprinklings. Ex. 10: 90. The
reference is to the blood of redemption,
Gods part. and not to the water of bap-
tism. the acknowledgment Of such cleans
ing. mans part-Clean, Same word used
at v. 2 Cleanse. e).-Wash. Same word as
In V. 2. Gods sanctifying.
Bones which thou hast broken, l. E., in
enthusiastically 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 |
al being here added, however.
Create. A strong word, suggestive of |
Gods sovereignty in conversion and sane |
ification.-Clean. Same word as v. z.
Renew. To make new.-A right |
spirit; or steadfast spirit, from the word to
stand or to be established.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
My sin is ever before me. Yes, but it is
behind Gods back, Before US, in sense,
t still is, because in penitence we look
oward 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 wretche1 SHINING and calls upon
Iod, presently there stands between him
Ind that sin an obscuring vision, a form,
narred, yet prevailing, and now we hear
him saying. almost exultantly, "The sacri-
ices of God are a broken spirit broken
md contrite heart. o God, thou wilt not
lespise.n The same mercy that avails to-
lay availed for King David. The image of |
he Christ, though not so distinct as to US,
IN this side the cross, showed the same
ineaments Of love and forgiveness. From
he first where sin abounded, grace did
/
in, 1 behold an Intervening, interceding
savior
Purge me with hyssop. The appeal is to
iod, not to any priest Only God can
,urge from sin, only He can cleanse and re-
lew. 1t is Christ's blood and regeneration
through Hin that is intimated here. And
Vhat about baptism? If this mean bap-
ism, then it means also ba ptismal regerer-
tion. But baptism is not cleansing or re-
ewal. 1t is the answer of good con-
cience toward God, mans voluntary re-
ponse to Gods regeneratfve work and his
cceptance and declaration thereof. Right |
ere the Baptist consist emily parts COM
anv with the Catholic view and all Psedo- |
aptist shadings Of Catholic belief that lie |
etween. The preacher is not priest i'm
arting something. He is as nothing COM
ared with God who regenerates and the
oul which accepts and announces that re-
eneration The cry Of John the Baptist is
he cry of all his brethren since, GHe must
lcrease, but must decrease.n
Then will l teach transgressors thy ways
ct US leave it as first written, the simple
eclaration that he will teach trans
ressors the ways Of God 1t was not nee
ssary that he should be restored to joy or ,
cceptance before he could teach the ,