PSALM 32

TEHILLIM 32

1 (A Psalm of David, Maschil.) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

The greatness of God and the dreadfulness of sin are ideas that go together. Practically, we see what sin means in the case of Adam. One sin - not a great sin as men would reckon-brought death, and the countless evils that have since afflicted the human race.

Sin is the non-conformity to God's will as expressed in His commands. Why it should be esteemed so dreadful a thing we realise when we think what it is in relation to ourselves. It is the misuse of the highest prerogative God can confer upon a created being. He has given us the possession of an independent will, a free volition.

It is a sharp instrument, a high privilege, but a dreadful responsibility. God hedges it by this proviso that it must not be exercised against Him. So stringent is this proviso that it is enforced by death. The will used against Him will be withdrawn.

... what is forgiveness? It is the consent of God not to impute the sin that has been sinned - to let it pass. He offers to do this - to justify us, to consider us righteous on condition of our compliance with the conditions provided in the case. Surely the man is blessed-happy-who is in this relation to God.

... Forgiveness is God's act, not ours. It is something that takes place in God's mind, and if he does not forgive, it matters not how we may feel. It may be illustrated in human affairs: suppose you have been offended, and you do not forgive the offender, because of his non-compliance with what you require, and suppose he is under the idea that you have forgiven him, does his idea alter the fact?

The forgiveness to be a fact must be a something in your mind, not in his feelings. So forgiveness to be real must be in God's mind. It is in this aspect of the matter that the tremendous importance of God's conditions appears. It is no matter how we may stand with men in the matter, if we are not right with God.

Seasons 1.8.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom Yahweh imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Improprieties in Prayer

"When Christadelphians approach the Deity, are they not in the blessed position described by David (Psalm 32:1, 2), having their transgression forgiven—their sins covered?

If so, is it right of them to say, 'We have done those things which we ought not to have done, and we have not done those things which we ought to have done?' Such and other phrases that I have heard in the public prayers of brethren appear to me to be contrary to the way of truth.

I know that we are liable to err, and do err, for which there is provision in the priesthood of Christ, for if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father. At the same time, unless we are conscious of transgression, I think we ought to come with greater boldness to the throne of grace.

We ought to come as children to worship God in the beauty of holiness, and not as trembling unjustified sinners."—C. M. H.

Answer.—The foregoing remarks are good. We commend them to the attention of all who rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Our approaches to the unspeakable Majesty of Heaven and earth's Creator, ought to be characterised by all reverence and godly fear; but as justified in Christ, it ought not to be to proclaim ourselves unutterable offenders, as which, we will not be received. If we are such we must reform before we think of "offering praise."

It is all very well for "Gentiles in the flesh" who are yet "afar off," without God in the world, to continually declare themselves "miserable sinners." "Saints in Christ" are not miserable sinners. They have the spirit of adoption sent forth into their hearts; and they cry "Abba, Father," and in words of joyful gratitude, give praise to his name and make their requests known to Him; giving earnest heed to living

"soberly, righteously, and godly."

The Lord taketh pleasure in his saints; only let them see that they turn not again unto folly." We must be doers of the will of the Father before he will hear us.

"If any man be a doer of His will, him He heareth."—(John 9:31).

If we are doers of His will, we may still say

'forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us;"

but we will not defile our worship by the false models of prayer extant in the corrupt religious world of the present day; in which the utterers of them pour out a stream of loathsome declarations, under the idea that God is pleased with sinners who confess themselves to be such, out and out.

What God wants is the reforming of sinners. He will forgive such, and delight in their ascriptions when they come to him with "clean hands and a pure heart." He will forgive the errors and shortcomings of such as are after His own heart; but the proud, and the unclean, and the indifferent, and the continually disobedient he will not look at.

Their abject protestations are mere lip-worship, which He hates; and even if heart-worship, it is not of the sort that he loves.

The condition of favourable reception is this: "Come out from among them and be separate, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters."—(2 Cor. 6:17.)

The Christadelphian, May 1872

3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Thy hand was heavy upon me

We may groan under the spiritual burden and sluggishness that are incident to this weak animal nature; but we are not to despair. We must take fresh courage from the spectacle of the man after God's own heart passing through similar experiences.

Our prayer must break through the cloud, and reach upward to the joy and the praise which pertain to the sons of Zion. While exclaiming in our bitterness with Paul,

"Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?"

let us not forget to join in the refrain:

"I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Sunday Morning 62

The Christadelphian, 1875

5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Yahweh; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

What is the theme of human poems?

Merely human impression.

It may be a fair maid - a lovely form of life no doubt, but a perishing, fleeting thing. Or perhaps it is some smiling landscape; or some passing aspect of nature, such as a beautiful sunset.

Bible poems, the Psalms for example, deal with nothing so limited as this. They are all about God; they recognise God as the Root, the Rock, the Upholder, the Guide of all things.

This is deep, eternal, and true. This is satisfying; it is enlarging; it is purifying. Holiness, says the Scripture, becometh thine house; all the Psalms are holy; all the Scriptures are holy.

... Everybody is made holy by reading it; that is, everybody who does so with diligence, earnestness, and effect. This is its mission as regards individuals; to make men holy "to purify for Christ a peculiar people, zealous of good works" to whom Christ has left his command, "Be ye holy" and of whom Paul says,

"without holiness, no man shall see the Lord."

Seasons 2.9.

9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in Yahweh, mercy shall compass him about.

Providence

Providence and providential are words applied most commonly to any blessing, help, deliverance, achievement, or salvation in the experience of men which partakes of a semi-miraculous character, or which cannot be easily accounted for upon purely natural or commercial principles.

Providence in a scriptural sense embraces first, that general and impartial provision which God has made for the well-being of all His creatures, both man and beast; including also that preserving care by which all live and move and have their being in Him; and still further, that ever-watchful and beneficent supervision which numbers the hairs of the head, hears the call of the raven, and takes notice of the death of a sparrow.—(Psalm 147:9, 104:10–30; Ps. 107.; 116:15; 145:15–16).

Scriptural providence embraces secondly, that more particular and paternal attention which God extends to those who seek His face, and with which He compasseth their whole life with all that it contains of bitter and sweet.—(Rom. 10:12; Job 2:10; Psalm 32:10; 139:3).

The objects of such Divine providences are, First, that men may be led to see the truth; Second, that their hearts may be prepared for the seed of the kingdom; Third, for the trial of their faith; Fourth, for the weaning of their affections from the world; Fifth, for the exercise of their senses towards God and the invisible things of promise; Sixth, for the proving of prayer; Seventh, for the evidencing of Divine interference; Eighth, for the establishment of entire confidence in all the Divine dispensations; Ninth, for the assurance of heavenly guidance and direction; Tenth, that the saints may be abundantly confirmed, edified, strengthened, comforted and perfected in every good word and work.—(Heb. 12:5–11; 13:21–22).

The providence of Scripture history and testimony, consists in the ministrations of angels on behalf of those who become (by the faith and obedience of the gospel) heirs of salvation.—(Heb. 1:14; Psalm 34:7; 2 Chron. 18:18–22).

Faith and prayer are the handmaids of providence, watching daily at the posts of her doors.

The good providences of God are the sequel to the "prayer of faith:" faith leads to prayer and prayer leads to providence. A man cannot properly believe in one without the other.—(Rom. 8:32.)

The doctrine of providence teaches that God is the disposer of all things; that He is remotely the author of all our circumstances; that He makes one rich and another poor; He gives and withholds according to the sovereign pleasure of His will—(1 Sam. 2:7).

Scriptural providence teaches us that God can turn men's curses into blessings, make the wrath of men to praise Him, turn enemies into friends, effectually frustrate the evil machinations of wicked men, and indeed cause all things to work together for good to them who please Him. (Psalm 37:23; 147:11; Prov. 10:22; Neh. 13:2).

The holy men of old, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the alien: these men were all pre-eminently believers in the providence of God: indeed this fact is the key to their success.—(Heb. 2.; 2 Chron. 34:27–28; 20:3–18).

Bro FR Shuttleworth

The Christadelphian, Feb 1875

Providence

If all the things which came in old time by prayer and providence were to be taken out of the Scriptures, the Bible would be greatly reduced in size, and much more so in value, and indeed so much more so as to make it questionable that we could at all be made wise unto salvation.

The backbone and marrow of a successful career in the truth, is the unclouded recognition of the providence of God, and an humble and depending, but hopeful resignation to His will, in all the circumstances of life.

Jesus teaches that whatsoever men forsake for is sake and the gospel's, that same shall they have and more abundantly, even in this life: this is only another way of commending believers to the providence of God.—(Mark 10:29 30).

To ask for daily bread is prayer; to receive it is the answer of providence.

When Paul asked, saying, "what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" he therein taught the providence of God—(1 Cor 4:7).

To truly believe in the providence of God is rightly to realise our sonship, and to open our door to the bountiful or chastising visitations of the Father of lights, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift.

Providence says "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee;" faith replies "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me."—(Deut. 31:6–8; Heb. 13:6).

Providence says 'No good thing will the Lord withhold from them that walk uprightly." Faith says "I will trust in the Lord at all times."—(Ps. 84:11).

Providence says "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." Faith says "I will praise Thee for ever, because Thou hast done it."—(Psa. 1. 15; 52:9; 54:7).

The history of Israel is a marvellous record of providences, written for our example and encouragement, that we may have faith in God, and be helped to a solemn regard for the providential operations of His hands.—(Psalm 89.; 88:12–20; 105.; 111.; 136).

'Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," is the prayer of an earnest believer in Divine providence.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, and some in riches, and some in might, and some trust in men, and some trust in their own understanding and natural ability; but such as wisely discern the providence of God, will "trust in the Lord with all their heart"—(Ps. 20:7).

The following Scriptures clearly enunciate the providential dispensations of the Almighty towards those who love His name. They are worth finding and reading: Ps. 5:11–12; 9:9–10; 10:17–18; 17:7–9; 18:25–26; 23:4; 31:7–8; 23–24; 34:6–10; 37:4–5; 103:1–14).

We sow seed and reap, but God gives the increase; we work and eat, but God gives the strength to do the work, and food to all flesh We buy and sell and get gain, but the good thereof is of the Lord. When we prosper, it is because He wills it; when our way is rough and hedged about, it is a dispensation from His hands; when our enemies plague us or triumph over us, it is by His permission: the hearts of all men are in His hands: He can soften or harden, strengthen or enfeeble, kill or make alive, none can withstand the providences of His Divine operations.—(Deut. 32:39; Rom. 9:15–23),

Bro FR Shuttleworth

The Christadelphian, Feb 1875

11 Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.