Vers. 11, 12.-A great evil deprecated, and a great good desired. I. A GREAT EVIL DEPRECATED. The evil is twofold (ver. 11). It is felt that this judgment is deserved. God might justly do this. His presence had been outraged; his Spirit had been not only resisted and grieved, but for a time quenched. But such judgment would be utter ruin and woe, and it is shrunk from with horror. To be "cast away" was ruin, but to have "the Spirit taken a.way" was to have that ruin made complete and irremediable. It is only those who ;have the Spirit, and who know something of the joys of God's presence, that can truly utter this prayer. II. A GREAT GOOD DESIRED. The good is also twofold, meeting and matching the evil. "Salvation," with its joys, is the remedy for the dreaded casting away. God's free Spirit, with his loving and gracious upholding, is the sure deliverance from the woes of desertion. This prayer is very bold. At the very time when hanging on the verge of the precipice, the cry is me.de, not for arrestment, not for delay, not for mere mercy, but for complete restoration. The prayer is also far-reaching. It looks on. It sees dangers ahead. It contemplates the possibility of further sins and falls. But it also sees how all trials can be met and a.II temptation vanquished. The believer stands, as it were, on the Delectable Mountains, e.nd sees the path clear beforo him; with the heavenly city gleaming bright in the distance. The prayer is urgecl with childlike trust and confidence. '!'here is the consciousness of willingness, and, if the soul is willing, God must be willing also. What we desire, he who kindled the desire is able to accomplish. It is as when a child, with e. sense of weakness, but with clinging love and trust, says to its father, "I am afraid. 'l'ake my hand. Guide me in the dark. Uphold me lest I fall. I cannot walk alone." Thus peace and fay are brought to the heart. The believer, committing himself to the fatherly care of God, can tread with e. free soul and e. joyous step the way set before him, knowing tha• it leads to glory, honour, and immortality. In this great prnyer there is hope for th, chief of sinners, and comfort for the most troubled of saints.-W. F. Vers. 1-8.-Repentance and forgiveness. Some deny the Davidic origin of this .pRalm; but most refer it to the time when Ne.than charged David with the sins ol adultery nnd mur,ler. In these verses wo have set forth the nature of forgiveness, anc] the nature of repen lance. I. PnA\'ER FOR FOllGlVENESS. 1. Forgiveness is the inward and outward cleansing from sin. It is blotting out a record or a debt that is against us-that is, the outward cleansing. And it is a washing, or cleansing, or purging-that is, the inward forgive- ness, or tho taking away of sin. So tbnt it is a double work. 2. When we become conscious nf sttchforgiveness, we rejoice with a great gladness. (Ver. 8.) The strength (bones) which sin has broken is restored nnd rejoices. II. 'fHE NATURE OF REPENTANCE. 1. It is a trust in the Divine goodness and mercy. (Ver. 1.) Sorrow for sin without hope in God is remorse and death-not repentance. 2 . .A conscioumess that our sin is more against God than against man. 406 TUE noott 01.i' l'SALMS. [PS, LI. 1-19.
(\" er. -1.) "Inasmuch as ye did it against one of the least of three," etc. 3 . .tin a.clmaw 7e:lJment of the Divine righteous11es., in the punishment he has suffered. (Ver. 21.) . 4. He. not_ only confesses the sinf1d deed, b1:t traces it to the inheritance of a nature sinfully inclined. (Ver. 5,) 5. He prays/or inwa1·d trutlifauiess and wisdom as bis only sn.fety for the future (ver. G).-S.
Vera. 9-12.-Renewal and elevation. True repentance is not satisfied with the kno~lerlge of forgiveness, but goes on to seek the renewn.l and elevation of tho no.lure that kt, rinncd and fallen into disorder. l. HE SEEKS A NEW REVET.ATION OF TIIE FORCE on FAVOUR OF Gon. (Ver. 9.) "D0 1,ot look upon me in anger for my sin~, so as to brin" ma into judcrmcnt but Ii!'~ upon me the glory of thy face, or presence." And to this :nd- " ' I£. "CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, THA.T l MAY DE ADLE TO SEE TIIEE." (Ver, 10; Matt. v. 8.) III. ,, Gr~~ ME AGA_IN A STEADFAST SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE TO THY WILL." (Ver. 10.) A strong spmt not easily swayed to and fro through its own weakness or by the "Usts 0 of temptations, but persistent in right aims and endeavours. ' IV. lfo PRAYS TIIA.T HE MAY NEVER LOSE TIIE SUCCOUR AND STRENGTH OF TIIE Drvri,rn SPlRIT. (Ver. 11.) Such a prayer on the lips of David could not mean all that i~ i:neans now to a Christian. Christ has reveal~d the work and the necessity of the D1nue Strengthener (the Paraclete) far more clearly than it was known to David . .As the T,"acher of the truth and the Helper of our weaknes~. V. HE PRAYS FOB THAT SENSE OF JOY WHICII IS Ul-."'ITED WITII TIIE SPIRIT OF A FREE onEDIE::-:CE. (Ver. 12.) Our spirits attain to their greatest freedom when under the influence of the Sp:rit of God-like water heated by fire.-S.