Almost three weeks ago I decided to start reading through the Psalms again. It started because I was having trouble staying focused during my morning prayer time and I thought reading a Psalm at the beginning of the prayer time would help me focus better. It definitely has done that, but even more wonderful is that I have been finding verses in the Psalms that are speaking to me in ways they haven’t before. God’s Word is definitely living and active (see Hebrews 4:12).
Today I was reading Psalm 19. I came across two verses I was compelled to reread several times. I even looked them up in several translations. What I saw in these two simple verses was the Gospel of Christ, written down by King David hundreds of years before Jesus walked the earth as a man. I saw in these two wonderful verses the only way I can be found blameless before God. This is what I read:
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Psalm 19:12-13 (NASB).
We all have hidden faults, sins we fail to recognize in ourselves. But if we recognize this very fact and ask God for forgiveness for those sins, He is faithful to forgive us.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, God will also help us to keep ourselves from committing “presumptuous sins.” Other translations of this verse use the word “willful” or “intentional” instead of “presumptuous.” But I liked this translation best because the word presumptuous has to do with pride. And only God can keep us from our own pride and work in our hearts the humility He desires.
We cannot be found blameless by our own efforts. We cannot even understand the depth of our own need for forgiveness by ourselves. Without God, we are unable to keep ourselves from further transgressions.
But here is the Gospel: If we recognize our own sinfulness, and trust in God to forgive us of our sins and keep us from sin, then we will be found blameless and acquitted of our transgressions.