The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-08-13

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GOLDEN TExT.-Crsate In me clean
heart. o God; and renew right spirit with.
THE SECTION includes Sam. II and
H. also Palms 81 and 81.
TIME.-The great sin Of David was com.
mitted about B. c. i035. Nathan's reproof
was about o year later. and the psalm OF
ing. David was so years old, having reigned
% year,.
PIACE.-David's palace in Jerusalem.
LESSON NOTES.
I. David's Sin.--This was q double
crime, consisting of the two most
heinous wrongs one person can commit
against another-adultery end murder,
mingled with meanness, selfishness and
injustice. Moreover, it defied Gods
law and dishonored God and religion
before all the people. 1t is not at all
likely that this fall was entirely sudden.
Probably there was relaxation OF
David's religious fervor and zeal, which
were his guard. Then his multiplying
wives were in the same direction.
David, too, parleyed with temptation.
He should have shut his eyes and turned
away, and then he would have been safe.
There is no apology for David's sin.
He himself never apologies for his sin.
He knew the commandments, and It was
sin against light. 1t is to be held up
in eternal execration and scorn. But
we should see that many wicked thing
in the past would be very much worse
if done in our day and in our light.
Then we must consider the prevailing
sentiments and feelings of the day.
"No other king Of the time," says Spur
geon, would have felt any compunc-
ton for having acted as he did" The
degree of guilt depends very largely on
the circumstances in which sin is COM
mitted.
II. David's repentance For year
David said nothing about his sin. He
thought that he could 60 on just as be-
fore. But the knowledge that his sin
was known would put stings in his con-.
science. Then the relations between
himself and Ahithophel, David's chief
and wisest counselor and the grand
strained, for not long after Ahithophel
turned against David. 1t also seems
probable, from Psalms 32:4, that this
burden, added to his long-continued
cares, brought sickness upon him.
"Nor ear can hear nor tongle can tell
The tortures Of that inward hell"
When those silent influences had pre-
pared the way, God sent his prophet
Nathan. With great wisdom he spoke
parable to David, which led the king in
dignantly to condemn another, uncon-
scious that his condemnation fell upon
his own head, till the prophet spoke the
terrible words: "Thou art the man."
All these things brought David to
the deepest and most sincere repent
ance. The proof of David's sincerity,
that he was not merely sorry for the
consequences, but repented of the sin,
is shown by his forsaking that sin and
hating all sin, and by his efforts to re-
move the evil effects of his wrong.
Psalms 80 and 81 were David's public
confession to both God and man. He
who taught men to sin by his example
should also by his example teach them
repentance.
III. David's Song Of Forgiveness and
Peace. Ill. The first stanza, con-
sisting of the first four verses, expresses
longing for forgiveness. Not the three
threes- three names for sin, three
words for forgiveness, and Psalms 81,
three aspects or names Of mercy. The
three words for sin are "transgression," /"
"Kin" and "iniquity." "Transgression"
means literally separting or breaking
loose, hence signifying apostacy or re-
bellion. 'Sin" is, literally, missing q
mark. All sin is fearful failure as to
reaching the ideal of conduct and as to
winning the desired satisfaction. TN
iquity" is something twisted or dis
turbed. Forgiven" covered" and
''imputeth not" are the three terms for
forgiveness. The first means taken
away" or lightened of the burden Of
sin. The second signifies their being
blotted out of Gods book of remem-
brance, hidden from sight of God and
man. "Imputeth not" is as a case re-
moved from the docket of the court,
SO that it will never be called up. Three
words expressing Gods love are
mercy" 'loving Kindness" and "tender
mercies," in the plural to express the
numberless acts of mercy to unnum-
bered sins. In verse David likens hin,-
self to a tree dried up in drouth. All
the freshness was gone from his spirit;
all the joy of living was taken away.
The second stanza oversees So tells Of
confession and forgiveness. Three
truths are here brought out: (1) confes.
sion is necessary before forgiveness can
be granted; (2) there is 'too late''
C"pray unto Thee in q time when Thou
mayest be found'), and (3), the fnr-
given will be compassed "about with
songs of deliverance." As David was
besieged on every side with troubles,
40 on every side there would be vic-
tories, and songs to celebrate them.
The third stanza takes in verses q
to II, and u an exhortation from ex-
perience. Maclaren says that verses q
| and seem to him ITO be hest talceu