The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-10-21
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTs FOR OCTOBER rs.

MENTS FOR OCTOBER 20.
Subject: The Joy of Forgiveness, Ps.
32-Goldenf Text, Ps. 32:1-Com.
nit Verses 1, 2-Read Ps. 81 and
Rom. Chs. 4, 5-Commentary..
TIME.-1o34 B. C. PLACE.
Jerusalem.
EXPOsITION.-I. The Blessed
ness of Sin Covered by God. 1. 2.
This is a. didactic psalm little, mar
gin). David is beyond question the
author of it (Rom. 4:6-8). He had
known in his royal position all world
ly JOYS, but the highest Joy that he
had found was that of transgression
forgiven and sin covered. This 10y
Is open to every one (Acts 10:43).
If there was forgiveness for n who
had sinned so %grievously as David we
may conclude that there Is forgive
ness for all. The Psalmist multiplies
words for sin. "transgressiou" means
rebellion. ".Sin," missing the mark
(cf. Rom. 1920. "%1niuuity." crook
edness, or curvature. To forgive"
means literally to take away fcf. Jno.
1923: Ps. 103:12). God covers"
sin (cf. Ps. s5:2). He covers sin
from view. He covers it with the
blood of Christ lie. 17:11). When
God covers sin no man nor devil can
uncover it. God does not impute or
reckon to the %impenitent sinner his
sin.
IT. The Misery Of Sin Covered by
Self, 8. 4. In the first verse we see
God covering sin; in the third and
fourth the sinner covering his own
sin. The former is supreme blessed
ness. the latter supreme misery. The
sinner seeks to cover his sin from
God (cf. Gen. 3:7. 81. This no sinner
has ever succeeded in doing prov.
1919. David sought to keep ST.
.lence, but only succeeded IN "roarins
all the day long" His lips kept 81
lence but his bones roared. He tried
to escape Gods hand by keeDing ST.
lence. but day and night Gods hand
was heavy upon him. There is moth
ing that man can do more foolish
than to refuse to confess his sin INTO
God. These days of unconfessed sin
were days Of great cruelty on David's
! UdVi L n E1dIu. IS.Ol
III. Sin Uncovered to God and
Covered Up by God. 8. David did at
last with his sin what he ought tn
have done first. Gods heavy hand
had accomplished it's loving purpose.
David acknowledged his sin to the
right person. TO God. He stoDped
covering f"hid" ia the same Hebrew
wore az covered" in v. II his sin.
When he stoDped covering his sin
himself then God covered 1t for him.
It was a good thing that David said
in v. 5. To confess" does not mean
merely 'to own up," but to "point
out" or fully declare" The trouble
with much that is called, confessinntis
that 1t is not fnll and frank and free.
The result of this confession was that
God forgave the ininuity Of his sin.
That will ALWAYS be the result oGfull,
hearty confession unto the Lord Il
.Tno. lie: Job 1927, g.: LII. 1920.
23). A hearty confession of sin is al
ways accompanied by a thorough
turning awav from sin .(Prov. 2S:11;
Lev. 26:40-42).
Nv. Forgiven Sinner Himself Gov.
cred, 6, z. The word "godly" lin v.
g. means va recipient of grace" Be-
cause of Gods forgiveness of con-
fessed sin every recipient OF Gods
grace prays unto Him in a time when
He may be found Tor Tin the time OF
finding out sin"-see marg. A. v. and
r. W. There is a time when God
cannot be found lisa. 55:6: Prov.
1:24-2S; Lu. ~13:24-2S; 19:42-44).
The time when He NAV be found Is
now. g Cor. 6:2). The result of
praying to Him in a time when He
may be found will be that when the
great waters overflow they shall not
reach unto him" The reason why
they shall not reach unto him is he.
cause God Himself is his hiding
place.
v. The Forgiven Sinner Kept From,
Further Wandering, 8, 8. 1t is not
enough that our past going wrong
be forgiven, we need to be guided in
the right way for the future. God
promised to thus instruct" teach
and guide" David for the future
(and every other forgiven sinner as
well). Some make David himself the
speaker in y. 8, but it is better to take
the words as Gods response to
David. The change of speakers Is in.
dicated by the sign "Selah." This is
a most precious promise. The only
way we shall ever know the way in
which we should go is when God in.
structs and teaches us in it. God
counsels US by a glance Ct His eye
(see R. W. If we are to be guided
by. a glance Of His eye, we must keep
neal Him, so as to catch His glance.
Gods instruction and teaching come
through His Word and Spirit FPS.
119:105; Jno. 1919. Even the for
given sinner is quite likely to act like
"the horse" or 1.-The mule" Such
cannot be guided by Gods eye. Still
He does not give them up. He holds
them with "bit and Bride"
vi. The Misery Of the Wicked, the
Blessedness of the Man of Faith, 10,
II. Verse 10 states the conclusion Of
the whole matter. Two persons are
put in contrast, the wicked and he
that trusted in the Lord" The only
righteousness that God recognizes,
even in the o. T., is the righteousness
of Faith (cf. Phil. 800. To the
wicked shall be many sorrows" (cf.
Ro. 2:8, 81; to the one that trusteth
in the Lord, mercy round about him
on every side. That is q safe wall.
Our duty then is to "be glad in the
Lord" This is as much u command
as TIE one not to steal (cf. De. 1912;
Phil. 81, 3; 4:4).