I. INVOCATION AND THE CONFESSION OF DAVID. DAVID'S CAUSE (1-5). 1. Impassioned Cry (1-2). 2. Intense Contrition (3-5 ). II.INDICATION OF THE DIVINE REQUIREMENT (6). God's Desire-A Sincere Heart. ill. IMPLORATION. REQUESTED PARDON AND RESULTING JOY (7-8). IV. IMPLORATION. REQUESTED PARDON AND RESULTING TESTIMONY (9-13). V. IMPLORATION. REQUESTED PARDON AND RESULTING PRAISE (14-15). VI. INDICATION OF THE DIVINE REQUIREMENT (16-17). God's Desire-A Surrendered Heart.
DELIVERANCE OF THE EXI LED REMNANT VII. INTERCESSION FOR THE CONSECRATION OF ISRAEL. ZION'S CAUSE (r8-r9). r. Inspired Request (r8). 2. Important Results (19). SUPERSCRIPT.-A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. SUBSCRIPT.-Por the Chief Musician. P RI MARY AssocIATION.-This is the fourth "penitential" psahn. For writer and occasion see title; c£ 2 Sam. xi.-:xii. Read again the corresponding notes to Ps. xxxii. David was visited by Nathan almost a year after'the sin was committed. In such a case the typical sacrifices all failed; they did not avail for wilful sin (Deut. xvii. 12) particularly deliberate murder. David could only cast himself upon the sovereign mercy of God. The one supreme sacrifice of the Cross accomplished what the types could never do. The latter pointed on to Christ and thus expressly disclaim any virtue in themselves. Verses I 8-19 were probably added by David himself when handing his composition to the precentor for liturgical use. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-See notes to preceding psalm. This points to the time of Israel's national repentance and restoration. Though David was guilty of other sins, it is significant that the only one specified here is that of bloodguiltiness, hence the psalm is particularly appropriate to the nation guilty of the death of Messiah. That the future repentance will be national yet intensely. individual is shown by later prophets, e.g. Zech. xii. 10-14. Thus we find the Spirit of God again using the various experiences of David to express all that the godly remnanr of Israel will pass through before they can enter the millennial rest. An interesting point is that in some Jewish forms of ritual, this psalm is recited on the Day of Atonement, type of a yet greater "Day" when Israel with adoring wonder will learn that the Crucified One was indeed the Lamb of God's providing, whose once-for-all sacrifice of Himself laid the foundation of their national redemption and restoration. PERSONAL APPLICATI0N.-A psahn of repentance and restoration, of penitence and pardon. Sin is here regarded as: (a) a blotted record to be expm1ged; (b) a polluted robe to be wasl?-ed; (c) a fatal disease to be cured. It is "transgression"= law violated; "iniquity" = morals perverted; "sin" = mark missed; or, disobedience,
ANALYTICAL 'STUDIES IN THE PSALMS distortion and declension. Note: (a) Manifold character of sin presented; (b) Manifold cleansing of soul portrayed; (c) Manifold compassions of God pleaded (i-3). Repentance contains the element of faith, remorse the element of despair. True confession makes no excuse or apology; it makes no attempt to delude self, deceive men or dissemble with God (3-4). There is a wide difference between sorrow for the conseqqences of sin and sorrow for its cause (3). The sin may be forgiven, but certain consequences remain. Sin is a personaÐ responsibility ( 1-3), note the "my" repeated; we must not blame heredity or society or necessity. Sin against man is primarily sin against God, for at every point that we touch God's creature, we touch God Himself (4). Man's sin and'God's ways of dealing with it bring into clearer light the justice and holiness of God. "Modem'Ñ theologians hate verse 5; they like to talk about the "God in man" instead of the "sin in man." The source of sin is in our souls, not in our surroundings; evil acts proceed from an evil nature, (5). Man is born with a moral twist (5). God ever looks through to the heart (6). Though man has a corrupt nature, he has an inner conscience (5-6). Sin needs washing white, not white washing; man often does the latter, but God alone can do the former ( 7). The redemptive work of Christ for us must be accompanied by the regenerative work of the Spirit in us (10). For the believer in this dispensation to pray as David does ( 11) would be sheer unbelief,Johnxiv. 16-17; Gal. iv. 1-7; 1 Cor. xii. 13, etc. Heaviness of heart enfeebles walk and work (12). The "pleasures of sin" cost David the joy of salvation (12). Sin shuts· the saint's lips, pardon opens them for testimony and praise (13, 15). God rejects cold heatted sacrifice (16) but accepts whole-hearted sacrifice (19). The former speaks of self-will, the latter of self-surrender. The pardoned one becomes a pleader for others (18-19). VERSE NOTES I. Br. "Be gracious unto me according . . . according to the abundance of Thy compassion ... " The prayer for pardon is based upon God's revelation of His own character, Exod. xxxiv. 6-7; "transgressions"= revolts, so 3. 2. "wash," Hebrew word used of washing the clothes of the leper, Lev. xiv. 4, ,, . . . '' 7-9; lillqutty = perversity, so 5. 3. "I" (emph.). Long known to God, the sins are at last "known" to David and acknowledged by him.
Book Two. II. Disclosures concerning the Enemy Reprobate, lii.-lx. r. The Apostates and the Remnant, lii.-lv. (Maschils). The Antichrist Identified. (i) The Faithless Ones, lii.-liii. (ii) The Faithful Ones, liv.-lv.
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