Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse you me from secret faults. Notice David's holy perplexity. 1. The occasion of it. David was now looking into the law of God, and a beam of that light had darted into his conscience. The Word of God has a secret, unavoidable power upon the soul to convince it of sin. In the Scripture is presented a transcendent rule of holiness, the infinite purity and sanctity which is in God Himself. The soul, seeing this, is at once convinced of infinite impurity. In Scripture there is an exact rule of holiness prescribed. The law forbids all sin, and enjoins all holiness. It is a spiritual rule, not resting only in an outward conformity. It keeps secret thoughts under awe. The law of God is operative, not as a dead letter: it has an active power to work upon the heart. The Spirit of God goes along with it, and makes it quick, and powerful, and sharp, and mighty in operation. As to the — 2. Nature and purpose of David's perplexity; it may be resolved into these three expressions. (1) It is the speech of a man who confesses his ignorance; he knows not his errors. (2) It is the speech of him who sees many errors in himself, and suspects more, and is astonished at the consideration of them. (3) He utters his thoughts with a sighing accent, and groans within himself at the sense of them. As to the matter of this question, take it thus — Who understands the nature of all his actions, whether they be erroneous or not? Or thus — Who ever yet kept such a careful account in his conscience as to register the just number of his sins? Or thus — Who understands the many aggravations that may make a seemingly small sin out of measure sinful? What is the ground whence arises this difficulty of discerning errors? Chiefly from these three. The Divine excellency of the law of God. The marvellous subtlety and closeness of man's spirit. The falsehood of Satan, his depths of deceitfulness. Use the subject for conviction, and for consolation. (Bishop Browning.) Parallel Verses KJV: Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.WEB: Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. |
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