The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-10-15
THE JOY OF
FORGIVENESS
Sunday School Lesson for Oct. Is. 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

transgression is forgiven, whose sin II
COVERED Psalm Gsl.
TIME.-David's sin and repentance,
little beyond the middle Of his reign.
about n. G. 1884 according TO the margin
OF our Bibles His capital and palace
were az Jerusalem. David was almost 20
years old successful as a general and n
statesman. The author OF the Psalm was
probably David. with possible additions
In later times TO adapt II 10 special oc-
casions. as often occurs In our hymns.
PLACE.-Jerusaiem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
Some time I'm David's later life. look.
ing back from the Beulah land heights
OF the restored favor OF God. as the
Prodigal Son after he had returned
to his fathers home and love. King
David puts into n hymn his own ex.
perience for the comfort and encour-
agement OF all who have sinned and
long TO be restored to their fathers
home and heart For Ike Adam and
Eve. he had been driven out OF Para
disc for disobeylng God. and the
flaming cherubim had kept him from
the Tree OF Life. But he had at last
found the waters OF rest and the green
pastures OF forgiven sin. SO he sings:
V. 1. blessed" The word here. az
in Psa. IL and Prov. s.i3. Is In the
plural. oh the blessednesscs Of him
whose. etc. TO denote the most su-
preme and perfect blessedness." and
TO express the manifold nature OF tho
blessedncss. At all times. from all
Sources In all departments OF life.
In all circumstances: blessed In body
and In soul. In time and In eternity"
"Transgression sin iniqui-
ty' CD. "Sin is here (as In FIX. 3f:O
spoken Of under three appellations.
so os 90 include the whole idea OF sin
In all its manifestations "--Perowne
Forgiven" That 10 given away.
removed. This Is. according TO the
Hebrew conception. tho taking up OF
transgrcsslon as a burden, a heavy
load. resting upon the sinner. and
bearing Il away from him TO s place
where II viii trouble him no more"
&C. A. Briggs In Int Crit. Com.
Covered" 50 as 10 hide Il and OBJ
htcrate a. IT is commonly used In
connection with sacrifices. az staining
and dohling the divine altara was
covered over by the application 20
them Of the blood OF the victim OF tho
sin Offering. Prof C. A. Briggs.
w. "lmputoth not" Does not es-
innate. consider. or think OF IN con
ncction with the sinner. Professor
Briggs In whose spirit there Is no
guile" no deceit. who conccals his
sin neither from God nor himself
Prot s. r. Driver. Other Bible words
for forgiveness are remit. send away.
destroy. wash away cleanse. make
them as n they had never been.
v 3. when kept silence" Try.
ing TO hide his sin. refusing 10 &c
knowledge Il TO himself. 20 others. OF
10 God MY bones (the most solid
and enduring part OF his body waved
(became increasingly old" Exhaust.
ed. enfcebled. worn out The secret
sin wore him out and made him sick.
Through my roaring all the day
long" The figure Is drawn from the
loud and unrestrained outcries OF one
suffering intolerable and unremitting
pain. lie was enduring an agony
which forced from him sobs and
groans that he could not stifc"-W.
II. Green.
"A sin concealed IL like n hidden
FIRE. II eats into the very life."-van
Dyke.
The Spartan boy hid the fox be-
meath his coat. and denied the theft
until he dropped dead. the fox all
the while gnawing at his vltals. David
felt the gnawing OF remorse. and II
was eating out his heart. DR.. W. r.
Barton.
" 4. Thy hand was heavy upon
me-" God would not leave him 10 go
on in sin. Gods hand was heavy upon
him in ohassisement In order 10 bring
him into a better mind. as a father
chastises his child In love (Heb. 1856
III"
Not merely by its pressure OF
weight; but. as the context implies.
heavy because OF heavy strokes smit-
ing him again and again with his pow
erful hand. so as 20 make him roarV
with the agony of suffering Prof. c.
A. Briggs.
MY moisture" ". ~. etc. This
sentence Professor Briggs translates:
Il was changed (from a former condi-
tom into misery as when thorns
smite me" The blows OF Gods hands
are very appropriately compared with
the shifting OF the body with thorns.
as when Gideon taught the elders of
Succoth with thorns aud briers (Judg.
s:16)
v. 5. Il acknowledged my SIM" We
have seen above how the bitterness
OF coHcealment and the reproof OF the
prophet led David To take this step.
"Sin iniquity transgres-
sions." The three forms OF sin men
toned In VS.. 1, g. Acknowledged
not hid confess" The three
words expressing the completeness
and thoroughness OF the confession
Nothing was withheld.
Forgiveness.
1. We all need forgiveness. for sin
keeps us from nearness to God; we
cannot look him In the face.
fnlf s.s.faxs ha