Psalms 51

REFLECTIONS UPON PEALM LI.—Into what grievous iniquities the best of men, if left to themselves, quickly fall!—but never into any from which their gracious God does not recover them. Such as sin publicly ought to take to themselves public shame, for the honour of their God and for a warning to others. Sin is an heavy burden to a penitent soul. It forces from his heart importunate cries for pardoning and purging mercy. And nothing less than promises of mercy can encourage him to pray in faith: and nothing less than merciful pardons and cleansings through Jesus’ blood can save him from hell. God’s blotting out of sin fixes a penitential remembrance of it, and repeated grief on account of it, in the heart of a saint. And a heart truly broken for sin never seeks exculpation, but desires to take all shame and confusion. The exceeding sinfulness of sin lies in its opposition to God’s nature and law. And true penitents justify God in all his judgments, however heavy upon them. No person was ever really humbled for sin till brought to see the inward and natural corruption of his heart. It is not outward forms, but inward reality of grace, that God primarily requires; and it is he alone that can work it in us. He alone must forgive our sins, purging our conscience by the blood of his Son. He alone must sanctify and renew our hearts, pour out his Spirit, restore our joys, and grant us his comfortable presence. What anguish and breaking of soul, loads of guilt, and of sorrow for it, can produce! But God, who gives the pardon, must also give the comfort of it. Renewed souls count the service of God the most perfect freedom: and the experience of God’s remarkable kindness effectually animates to zeal for his glory, the instruction of others, and the welfare of his church. Broken hearted penitents, viewing themselves as Achaas in the camp, are the most earnest wrestlers with God for the happiness of the church. And all the returns of service, and praise to God therein, must be founded on his special favours, received or secured in Christ and his blood