The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-10-23

giveness after having considered his
sorrow because of sin. But neither the
one nor the other will do us any good
unless the experience is truly our own.
This Is one Of the psalms entitled
"Maschil." which according TO the
margin signifies giving instruction."
but according To another interpreta-
ton Ito act wisely" and unless we
have for ourselves individually con-
fessed our sins and obtained forgive
ness of the same we have neither
acted wisely nor obeyed our instruc-
tons. Some one has defined iniqui-
" as perverseness. unrighteousness,
I transgression, q going beyond; sin, a
coming short Rev. Dr. Spurgeon has
called it a three headed dog at the
gates of hell, whose barking has been
silenced by Christ for all who truly
receive Him. In Eek. XXXiv, q, 4, the
name Of the Lord includes the forgive
ness Of iniquity, transgression and sin.
In Rom. iv, 6-S, the Spirit through Paul
quotes the opening words of this psalm
in connection with the statement that
all this blessedness, including right
eousness, comes TO us as the free gift
of Cod apart from any works of ours.
1t is most clearly set forth in Scrip
ture that neither money nor good
works can purchase the forgiveness OF
sins. 1t can only be obtained by
great sacrifice, which God Himself has
provided, and it must be obtained in
this present life. Consider we'll Rom.
iii, 1924, and the teaching of the epis-
ties everywhere on this topic; also
Job XXXiii, ~; XXXvi, IS; Ps. Xix, q, I;
Zeph. /, Is. Sin unconfessed is like
gathering wound, which swells and
torments; but sin acknowledged and
confessed receives forgiveness prompt
~ through the merits of our Lord
Jesus Christ. But there must be no
guile no deceit; the soul must be hon
est before God. Then the blessedneSS.
the true happiness, will surely come.
Confession is the lance which relieves
the fostering wound der. iii, 49, II;
Hos. xiv, /, y. Then we can hear God
saying to us lisa. Kill, %; John il, -;
Acts xiii So, 80. These are matters
demanding our most earnest cOnsidera-
tion and every selah in the psalms
calls us to special meditation.
Luther calls this one Of the best
psalms because ii teaches that for
giveness of sins comes without law or
works to him who truly believes-that
Is, receives the Lord Jesus. Verses
and teach us that the godly need
forgiveness and refuge and a de-
liverer, and indeed ii is only the godly
who know how much they do need it.
1t is only rs we grow in grace and in
the knowledge of God that we see the
exceeding sinfulnesS of sin, and then
do we become truly thankful for |
John /, =, Q. He, and He only, is our
city of refuge and our strong deliv-
erer, and it is our privilege TO abide in
Him and with Him and hear Him say,
like David to Abithar. abide thou
with Me, fear not, for he that seeketh
My life seekpth thy life, but with Ne
thou shalt bp i'm safeguard Il sam
xxi % Contrast hiding from God
and hiding I'm cod in Gen. iii, :. 10;
rs Nci. g. 10: cNiN. III TO avoid the
SHARES into which the devil would lead
Us we must be meek enough 10 be
y
ever toward the Lord tPs. XIV, o. 10.
If we are teachable and desire only
the will of God we may rest assured
that lie will fulfill TO us the promise of
verse : and comfort us with the asSur-
ance Of Isa. Xviii, Il. The marginal
reading Of verse is very helpful, Il
will counsel thee; mine eye shall be
upon thee assuring Us not only of
guidance, but of watchful care to see
that we do, not turn out of the way,
according to ISa. Xxx. 81. | once saw
+ q guide at a railroad depot tell a lady
which car she should enter. and then.
watching her as she went along the
/ platform and seeing her about to enter
! the wrong car, he ran after her and
/ put her in the right car. He counseled
/ her and then kept his eye upon her.
As 10 the horse or mule of verse ..
notice that the reference is to such as
have no understanding stubborn. I'M
/ subdued-for there are horses and even
mules which seem TO have more un-
! derstanding than those who drive
/ them To be as willing and obedient
/ as a good horse would be quite an ad-
vanced life for some Christians The
/ Il. V of the last clause, "ElSo they
will not come near unto thee" suggests
/ how difficult it is for the Lord 20 get
/ some people near enough to Him TO
/ guide them.
Unless we are intimately acquainted
with those who guide us they cannot do
/ it with look. Yet see Ps. cxxiii, .. AS
TO the last two verses Of this psalm, the
sorrows Of the wicked do not all come
| TO them In this life, for It is often with
! them MS recorded in Ps lxxiii 80;
/ but when their sorrows do begin be-
/ yond this life they will be forever
/ duke xvi, 1925; Rev. xiv, 10, III.
| Whatever may come to the righteous
that looks like evil and for the pres
ent is sorrowful. II cannot be real
evil in the light of eternity. but rather
comes under the head of Rom. viii. Is:
III Cor. iv, 1918. The believer has ev-
cry reason 10 say Ps. xiii, 6, and to