0517. The Plea

The Plea

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Psa_51:1-2).

There are four words which express David’s plea before God. These words are comprehensive, and well worthy of thought.

1. "Have mercy upon me, O God." These words mark the opening expression of David’s prayer. Certainly none of us can approach God upon any other basis than that of God’s gracious mercy. Mercy has to do with the Blood of the Cross. Even in David’s day, God dwelt in the cherubim over the mercy seat. Beneath the mercy seat, in the Ark, was the broken Law. The mercy seat was sprinkled with blood, by the high priest, once a year. God looked upon the broken Law through the mercy seat. David knew this and he therefore cried, "O God, I would approach Thee by way of the mercy seat." David sought in no way to justify his sin; he knew that there was no basis of self-worth on which he could speak to a Holy God. He had no approach to Him, excepting on the basis of the atonement.

2. "Blot out my transgressions." Mercy again comes in, for David sought the blotting out of his transgressions, according to the multitude of God’s tender mercies. He wanted God to erase from His Book the debt he owed. He wanted his sin wiped away, as a sponge wipes off the marks upon a slate. He wanted his sins put where they would be remembered no more against him; he wanted them behind God’s back, and in the depth of God’s sea. All of this was possible, for God had given the promise that no stain of sin should be left. He had said, "Ye shall be as white as snow." He had said, "I will remember your sins no more." Bless God, that all this is possible.

3. "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity." David wanted his sins to be washed, as a garment is washed. The thought is "multiply to wash," wash "through and through." David did not want anything left of His sin. He sought a perfect work, the perfect work of grace.

4. "Cleanse me from my sin." The word "cleanse" has the thought of ceremonialism. "Pronounce me clean."

In our study of the 32d Psalm, we dwelt upon the three words, transgression, iniquity and sin. The same words occur here. David seemed to understand the difference expressed by these words. We are now emphasizing the other side of the matter. We are emphasizing how David yearned to stand before God, washed, cleansed, and with his sins blotted out.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR