DISCOURSE: 585 TRUE PENITENCE DESCRIBED Psalms 51:1. _Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions! Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions; a... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 586 SIN AN OFFENCE AGAINST GOD Psalms 51:4. _Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest._ THE occasion of this psalm is well known: it refers to one of the most melancholy tra... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 587 ORIGINAL SIN Psalms 51:5._ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me._ ONE of the most essential marks of real penitence is, a disposition to see our sins as God sees them: not extenuating their guilt by vain and frivolous excuses, but marking every circu... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 588 THE IMPORTANCE OF INWARD INTEGRITY Psalms 51:6. _Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom._ MANKIND at large are chiefly observant of their outward conduct; but the child of God cannot rest in externals: he is anxious a... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 589 THE MEANS OF DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL LEPROSY Psalms 51:7. _Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow._ EVERY part of God’s word is profitable for our instruction in righteousness; but, in the Psalms, religion is exemplified, and, as it w... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 590 THE OPERATIONS OF SIN AND OF GRACE Psalms 51:8. _Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice._ NEXT to the obtaining of pardon, a penitent will desire the manifestation of that pardon to his soul. A state of suspense on such a subject as the f... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 591 TRUE RENOVATION OF HEART Psalms 51:10. _Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me._ PARDON and peace are the first blessings which a penitent will seek. But no true penitent will be satisfied with them: he will desire with no less ardour the renovation of... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 592 THE PENITENT ENCOURAGED Psalms 51:14. _Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation! and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness._ THIS psalm is full of encouragement to a real penitent; but in particular the petition before us. Consider the crime committ... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 593 A BROKEN HEART THE BEST SACRIFICE Psalms 51:16._ Thon desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise._ “WHEREWITHAL shall I come before the Lor... [ Continue Reading ]