Wash Me From My Iniquity
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/14/2017 AM |
Text: | Psalm 51:2,3 |
Psalters: | 376, 363, 140, 83 |
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper |
- From what.
- David uses three different and very specific words as important parts of his confession of sin.
- David is expressing godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow: he shows that he knows the terrible nature of his sin and sinfulness.
- First, David is weary of his sin as sin against God, not just of the punishment which follows.
- Second, the sincerity of David’s confession is his use of the first person, personal pronouns: “me, mine, me, my, I"
- David “acknowledges” his sin.
- He knows, recognizes, knows by experience, admits, confesses.
- David is fully conscious of his sin, over against denying it, excusing it, shifting the blame for it, or covering it.
- His sin is “ever” before him, i.e., continually, unceasingly.
- David is fully conscious and intensely aware (like a constant dripping) and thus is smitten and humbled.
- This acknowledging is usually prior to the hearing of the gospel of rich and amazing grace.
- He knows, recognizes, knows by experience, admits, confesses.
- This acknowledgment of one’s perversity leads to the prayer to be washed and cleansed.
- “Wash me” and “cleanse me.”
- The washing David requests is to be “thoroughly, i.e., is copiously, frequently, continually.
- Worldly sorrow wants only his clothing washed, but David asks that he himself be washed.
- “Throughly” implies that the sin makes us exceedingly and deeply defiled in body and in soul.
- While this is all necessary reality of godly sorrow, it is not all, for godly sorrow leads to repentance (II Cor. 7:10).