Great canyon walls towered above me, and I drank of their coolness.”
–Louis L’Amour (Silver Canyon)
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.”
–2 Samuel 22:2 (NKJV)
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There are many themes presented in the Psalms. Departing from our regular verse study in the Psalms, I want to look at two of those themes. The first one confronts all of us; we are all guilty of it and cannot get away from it–SIN. It is one of those terms that is being removed from our vocabulary, and if used it is referred to as a “mistake,” having “messed up,” or even with a shrug as if to say that perhaps sin is in the eye of the beholder, and that it is only a “bad habit.”
We take sin all too lightly, yet it is the sin of man that put Jesus on the cross! It was because of sin that the Father sent His only begotten Son to die a cruel death to appease the wrath of God and His justice. Sin is foul, yet we far too often dismiss it. I went with my son-in-law Greg once to the dump in Maryland to get rid of some items. Inside the large room was the foulest smell I ever encountered. Those working there wore gas masks. That is what sin is like to the nostrils of God. Look at a pile of vomit, that is the illustration I would give to my students–that is sin. Foul, evil, disease causing, and death is sin.
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Sin pervades our heart, and no one is left out. A London columnist once asked, “What’s wrong with the world?” In response, G.K. Chesterton replied with a letter to the editor: “Dear Editor: What’s wrong with the world? I am. Faithfully yours, G.K. Chesterton.” ((William J. Petersen) The Psalms speak of sin and its results:
“My heart is stricken and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread.” (102:4, NKJV)
“For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (38:4, NKJV)
“When I refused to confess my sins, I was weak and miserable.” (32:3, NLT)
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.” (51:4, NKJV)
“Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.” (51:8-9, NKJV)
Sin, in the Psalms, comes from three different Hebrew words. The first (pesha) means rebellion or mutiny against God. The second (hataah) means missing of the mark. And the third (avon) means a curving from God’s path which makes us twisted. In short–we sin. We all sin.
There is another theme, but not everyone takes advantage of it. It is not in the heart of man, but it is required if we are to see God and face Him righteously. That term is forgiveness. Man sins, but he does not have to accept the forgiveness of God. It is there, freely given, offered by God Himself through the sacrifice of His Son.
“Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.” (103:3, NKJV)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (103:12, NKJV)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (32:1-2, NKJV)
As there were three words to denote sin, there are also three Hebrew words used for God’s forgiveness. First, (nasa) meaning that our sin has been taken away like garbage. Second, (kasah) which means our sin is covered, atoned for by the blood of the Lamb, and the third (hashav) meaning our sin is no longer charged against us–the record is clear and the bill is paid in full.
All sins can be removed, because all have been paid for. “There is nothing–no rebellion, no shortcoming, no perversion of His ways–that cannot be forgiven.” (Petersen)
I would encourage you to go through the Psalm noting the mention of sin and then also of forgiveness. We all sin, but there is the offering of forgiveness for all if we reach out and accept it from the Lord.
“No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in him, is mine!
Alive in him, my living head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
–Charles Wesley
————————————–
There are many themes presented in the Psalms. Departing from our regular verse study in the Psalms, I want to look at two of those themes. The first one confronts all of us; we are all guilty of it and cannot get away from it–SIN. It is one of those terms that is being removed from our vocabulary, and if used it is referred to as a “mistake,” having “messed up,” or even with a shrug as if to say that perhaps sin is in the eye of the beholder, and that it is only a “bad habit.”
We take sin all too lightly, yet it is the sin of man that put Jesus on the cross! It was because of sin that the Father sent His only begotten Son to die a cruel death to appease the wrath of God and His justice. Sin is foul, yet we far too often dismiss it. I went with my son-in-law Greg once to the dump in Maryland to get rid of some items. Inside the large room was the foulest smell I ever encountered. Those working there wore gas masks. That is what sin is like to the nostrils of God. Look at a pile of vomit, that is the illustration I would give to my students–that is sin. Foul, evil, disease causing, and death is sin.
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Sin pervades our heart, and no one is left out. A London columnist once asked, “What’s wrong with the world?” In response, G.K. Chesterton replied with a letter to the editor: “Dear Editor: What’s wrong with the world? I am. Faithfully yours, G.K. Chesterton.” ((William J. Petersen) The Psalms speak of sin and its results:
“My heart is stricken and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread.” (102:4, NKJV)
“For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (38:4, NKJV)
“When I refused to confess my sins, I was weak and miserable.” (32:3, NLT)
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.” (51:4, NKJV)
“Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.” (51:8-9, NKJV)
Sin, in the Psalms, comes from three different Hebrew words. The first (pesha) means rebellion or mutiny against God. The second (hataah) means missing of the mark. And the third (avon) means a curving from God’s path which makes us twisted. In short–we sin. We all sin.
There is another theme, but not everyone takes advantage of it. It is not in the heart of man, but it is required if we are to see God and face Him righteously. That term is forgiveness. Man sins, but he does not have to accept the forgiveness of God. It is there, freely given, offered by God Himself through the sacrifice of His Son.
“Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.” (103:3, NKJV)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (103:12, NKJV)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (32:1-2, NKJV)
As there were three words to denote sin, there are also three Hebrew words used for God’s forgiveness. First, (nasa) meaning that our sin has been taken away like garbage. Second, (kasah) which means our sin is covered, atoned for by the blood of the Lamb, and the third (hashav) meaning our sin is no longer charged against us–the record is clear and the bill is paid in full.
All sins can be removed, because all have been paid for. “There is nothing–no rebellion, no shortcoming, no perversion of His ways–that cannot be forgiven.” (Petersen)
I would encourage you to go through the Psalm noting the mention of sin and then also of forgiveness. We all sin, but there is the offering of forgiveness for all if we reach out and accept it from the Lord.
“No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in him, is mine!
Alive in him, my living head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
–Charles Wesley