Spurgeon: April PM
* 04/07/PM
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my
salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness."
--Psalm 51:14
In this SOLEMN CONFESSION, it is pleasing to observe that
David plainly names his sin. He does not call it manslaughter,
nor speak of it as an imprudence by which an unfortunate
accident occurred to a worthy man, but he calls it by its true
name, bloodguiltiness. He did not actually kill the husband of
Bathsheba; but still it was planned in David's heart that Uriah
should be slain, and he was before the Lord his murderer. Learn
in confession to be honest with God. Do not give fair names to
foul sins; call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter.
What God sees them to be, that do you labour to feel them to be;
and with all openness of heart acknowledge their real character.
Observe, that David was evidently oppressed with the heinousness
of his sin. It is easy to use words, but it is difficult to feel
their meaning. The fifty-first Psalm is the photograph of a
contrite spirit. Let us seek after the like brokenness of heart;
for however excellent our words may be, if our heart is not
conscious of the hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to
find forgiveness.
Our text has in it AN EARNEST PRAYER--it is addressed to the
God of salvation . It is His prerogative to forgive; it is His
very name and office to save those who seek His face. Better
still, the text calls Him the God of my salvation. Yes,
blessed be His name, while I am yet going to Him through Jesus'
blood, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The psalmist ends with A COMMENDABLE VOW: if God will deliver
him he will sing--nay, more, he will " sing aloud ." Who can
sing in any other style of such a mercy as this! But note the
subject of the song--"THY RIGHTEOUSNESS." We must sing of the
finished work of a precious Saviour; and he who knows most of
forgiving love will sing the loudest.