Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-28
APENITENTS PRAYER
LESSON v, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY I.


cording to thy lovingkindness; according
unto the multitude of thy tender mercies
blot out my transgressions." This is the
third of the seven penitential psalms, the
others being the vi. xxi, cii cxxx, cxliii,
xxxviii. The title gives the circumstances
which led David to write this psalm, and
the whole story is found in II Sam XII and
xii. Let all consider the true significance
of the seventh commandment rs Taught by
our Lord Jesus, and let only those who are
not guilty throw stones
2. Wash me thoroughly from mine in
iquity, and cleanse me from my sim" Like
the leper who said, Lord, If Thou wilt
Thou canst make me clean" (Math. viii, q,
he believes that the Lord can cleanse him,
and he wants it done thoroughly How
such word as l John |, 0, would have
comforted him, ''If we confess our sins He
Is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteous-
ness" But he had virtually the same
teaching in Lev. vi, Ia.
8. "For acknowledge my transgressor;
and my sin is ever before me-" ''Only &C
knowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast
trangressed against the Lord thy God, "
was Gods plea with Israel by jeremiah
(Jer. iii, 13). David does this, not making
light of it nor seeking to hide either his
iniquity, the root of all the trouble, or his
transgression in which he overstepped the
line, or his sin In which he came short of
the mark (Ex. xxxiv, y.
4. against thee, thee only, have sinned,
and done this evil in thy sight; that thou
highest be justified when thou speakest,
and be clear when thou judgest." When
Nathan reproved him he said, II have
sinned against the Lord" QI Sam. xii, 13).
When Joseph was sore tempted, instead of
yielding as David did, he said, How can
| do this great wickedness and sin against
Godr' (Gen. xxx, 81
8. Behold, was shapen In iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me. :"
David recognizes sin in his nature, he did
not believe that we are by nature holy, but
as Paul testifies by the Spirit, "By nature
the children of wrath, even as others"
(Eph. ii, 81. "By one man sin entered the
world, and death by sin; and 80 death
passed upon all men," "The carnal mind is
enmity against God" (Rom. v, IL; viii, 2.
G. "Behold, thou desirest truth in the in
ward parts; and in the hidden part thou
shalt make me to know wisdom" There
is something in us known in Scripture
as ''The Imagination of the thoughts of
the heart" q Chron. xviii, o. xxx, 1S).
And it is written, II, the Lord, search the
heart, | try tie reins."
Z. Purge me with hyssop and shall be
clean, wash me and shall be whittier than
snow" God lade provision for the cleans
ing of the people whom He redeemed from
the bondage of Egypt, and to understand
this verse one should be familiar with the
story Of the leper and the two little birds
Of Lev. xiii and xiv, and also the red heifer
story of Mum. xix. In the cleansing of
each case. the aeper and the deillement con-
tracted by the way, the unclean one could
DO nothing for himself until pronounced
clean by the priest. The hyssop was used
10 sprinkle the blood, or the ashes and
water, which symbolizcd and typified the
blood of Jesus Christ. (See Lev. xiv, 4. 7;
Mum. xix, 10, and compare lisa. 1, 1a)
6 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
that the bones which thou hast broken
may rejoice" Ones very bones are fig
uratively said to suffer because of sin.
my bones waxed old through my roaring
Ill the day long" Neither is there any
rest in my bones, because Of my sin" ops.
xxi, 8; xxxviti, 81. And Of Christ, our
substitute, bearing our sins, it is written:
Il am poured out like water and all my
bones are out of Joint. Ny heart is like
wax; 1t is melted in the midst of my bow
els" (Ps. xxi, 14. How fearful is sin thus
20 affect the Holy One of God.
0. Hide thy face from my snaand blot out
Ill mine iniquities" Col said concerning
israel, Mine eyes are upon all their ways
hey are not hid from my face, neither is
heir iniquity hid from mine eyes" (Jer
xvi, ~. But Hezekiah could say after his
"Thou hast cast all my sins
behind thy back" lisa. xxxviii, ~, and con-
,erning Israel when she shall turn to God
t is written, 81 have blotted out as a thick
cloud thy transgressions, and as cloud
Thy sins" ''Tbou wilt cast all their sins
nto the depths of the sea" Elsa. xiii, IS;
Xiv, %; Mic. vii, 1el.
10 Create In me a clean heart, o God;
md renew right spirit within me-" This is
yoing to the root of the difficulty. We
sometimes hear of change of heart; If by
hat is meant new one instead of the old
'inful one, all is well; for the old cannot be
(Rom. viii, y. We must be
BORN from above John iii, 8, margin) and
'eceive nature we never had before, even
he divine urture III Pet |, d. before we
an enter the kingdom Of God. This God
8 ready to do for us, but He wants us TO
lsk Him (Ezek. xxxvi, 90, 81, 3D. What
s worth having Is surely worth asking
or.
IL Cast me not away from thy pres
nee, and take not thy Holy Spirit from
me-" Moses prayed, IF thy presence go
lot with me carry us not up hence" And
hee, and will give thee rest" (Ex. xxxiii,
A, 15). The strength and comfort Of
Noses, Joshua, Gideon, Jeremiah and all
he servants Of God was His presence with
hem (Ex. Iii, IL; Josh. 4, 5; Judg. vi, 10;
Ter. i, 8, 19). And to us our Lord has said,
10. am with you AWAY" (Math xviii.
o.. He has promised never to leave MS,
nd has told us that the Spirit will abide
n us (John xiv, ~, so that II we will we
nay rejoice in the abiding of the Father,
ION and Spirit in us John xiv, II, 23).
u. "Resto.e unto me the joy of thy sal
alton, and uphold me with thy free spir-
t." Salvation and the joy of salvation are
wo different things; the last we may lose,
ut not the first. Many have tho first who
ave not the last. Receiving Jesus, we have
life and are children of God John |, IL; Iii,
81, but assurance and joy comes by rest
ng on the infallible word OF God, irrespec-
i've of our feelings concerning the result of
UGH acceptance of Christ (Rom. XIV, 10; l
'et. /, a.. The Spirit works through His
1ord and this gives us fullness Of joy
John XIV, II; John i, a.
13. "Then will teach transgressors thy
rays, and SINNERS shall be converted unto
'hee." This is the end of our salvation or
that others may hear of Jesus.
esus INSTR cted Peter that otter he was
estored he should strengthen his brethree I
luke xxi, 3d. Being saved we should
1rget entirely our own welfare, and give |
MS living sacrifices TO make |
nown His righteousness, show forth His |
rails 3 and thus hasten the time when He