Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-08-13

teiixentIy anu frOutoDiys
Lesson for August 10.
Golden Tcxt.-"Create in me a clean
heart, . God: and renew a right spirit
within, me."-Ps 81: 10.
This lesson Is found in Psalms, 30: LII.
A long story, a painful one, intervencs
between the last lesson and this. After
David defeated the Syrians at Helam, he
returned to Jerusalem, the rainy season
probably being near, at hand. The follow
ing spring. lat the time when kings go
forth to BATTLE" David sent his army un-
der the command OF Joab to complete the
subjugation Of the Ammonitcs. lie him
self remained Mt Jerusalem. Why he did
not accompany the army we are not told,
but the Inference IL that ii was due TO a
relaxation OF his military spirit and sense
of duty; for this was not trifling expedi-
ton, unworthy kings attention, as Is
shown by the fact that the entire army
was sent. At any rate, David's careless
ease was the opportunity for temptation
to assail him. While the kings warriors
were toiling and sweating before the
walls or Rabbah, across the Jordan. the
king was making himself as comfortable
as possible in his roof garden, as we
should call it, trying to keep cool. and
amusing himself by observing the house
hold affairs of the dwellcrs in the lower
city. beautiful plebeian, Bathshcba by
name, whose husband was one OF the
mighty men" OF the army-pcrhaps a
member Of JOab's staff-pleased the fancy
OF the royal idler, and she came willingly
at his summons and participated in his
sin. Her soldier husband was brought
down to death by the cowardly plot Of thu
master whom he served, and Bathsheba
then became David's wife. Within u
year the heart Of the king. scourged by
rcmorse and chastened by sorrow. turned
once more in prayer to God, and the fifty
first psalm was composed. Ii shows the
soul wavering between the despair of con-
scious and overwhelming guilt and the
growing but almost incredible assurance
of forgiveness. Peace has not yet come.
The spiritual history Of David during the
next period OF his life can be onlytconjec-
tured-though other psalms ascribed 20
him by tradition have sometimes been
assigned to this time But when the
prayer OF the fifty psalm had been
granted, when "a clean heart" had been
created within him, and "the JOY of thy
salvation" had been restored. David broke
forth into singing. and sent forth into the
world this thirty-sccond psalm. which
has ever since been much on the lips of
forgiven. men.
- GBg Suggestions.
1. Read Sam. IL: /, -: 23.
:, q Read Psalm II.
:. 3. There is a wonderful study Of human
nature on its darker side to be found in
this story; one, if we trace the steps in
David's- decline not with the spirit OF the
moral pathologist but with that Of the
moral rcformer, it cannot fail to be help
full The two psalms are an indispensable
aid in this study, for without them we
should not understand the depth Of aetna!
and possible remorse contained in those
simple words of David, II have sinned
against the Lord" nor the real meaning
of his grief when the child died.
Explanatory.
Like all the sentences beginning, "bless-
ed is in the Psalms. the sentence is OK
clamatory; literally, 30 the blessings of
him whose transgression is forgiven. -
Notice tine, three words for sin; trans
gressioii,' is-the breaking of divine law;
the word translated "sin'' means missing
a ishtlHS W
standard; "iniquity" includes the guilt of
the sin, and suggests that it is worthy of
punishment. The transgression is gifted
up and carried away" translated "for-
givcn'), the sin is covered" and the
iniquity is no longer "reckoned to the
mans account" but is blotted off the
ledger. BY this time David knew sin on
every side, and in all its phases; but he
also knew the wonderful comprehensive
ness of the divine forgiveness.
mo guile:" since guile Is somewhat
indefinite word, it may be necessary to
explain to the pupils that it means here
mo hypocrisy" mo pretence to be that
which one is not" Here David let's us
see into the depths of his heart: for his
own meanness and duplicity, as it had
been the blacklist element in his sin, re-
manned the bittcrest in his repentance.
Though banished from his heart now, the
recollection remains. my bones waxed
DID," in this and the following verse there
may be reference to bodily disease, though
possibly there is merely strong metaphor
for the remOrse that David felt before
true repentance came to him. II will in
struct thee and teach thee" this verse is
supposed by some commentators to be the
utterance Of the Lord through David. IL
SO, there Is a very abrupt transition, for
everywhere else in the psalm David speaks
in his own person. Verses ten and eleven
form a conclusion to the psalm; verse ten
sums up the meaning of the psalm-thc
two classes of men are, the wicked. and
they that trust in the Lord. David could
include himself in the latter class, though
he was not vet ready to call himself
righteous.
Teaching Hints.
! Do not make the lesson too general A
good part of the time should be given to
the place Of this experience i'm David's
nfe; OILY by first bringing out the indi-
viduaI meaning Of the psalm can its uni
versaI application be wildly presented.
IL this psalm had been written merely as
a general expression of penitence for vari-
Gus minor sins Of David's life. it would
never have taken hold on the world as it
has. Because it Is specific, it meets the
need OF every forgiven sinner. David's
repentance Is shown to be true one by
his en- gerncss TO keep others from the pit
into which he has fallen. However young
the pupils, it Is not too early to impress
upon them the central thought of this les
son--confession Of sin the gateway to
forgiveness and peace. A child's small
falsehood or breach of trust, unconfcssed
to the parent. may work as serious havoc
in his character as David's great sin; for
the child's conscience Is more tender.
Next Lesson bsalom's Rebellion.--2
Sam Is: liz