by Robert Fudge

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

David begins this Psalm by declaring the greatness of God that is shown in the wonders of nature all around us. We have proof that God exists abounding on every hand. He then tells us about the word of God and how it is helpful, consoling, educating, encouragin g, enlightening and warning. God has revealed Himself and His will to us.

But even when we study God’s will (the Bible) we find at times that we have been doing something that is contrary to it without even knowing it (or have not been doing something we should have been doing). Or it may be that we have been taught something a certain way and after years learn that our belief was incorrect. These are the “hidden sins” that David is referring to in this passage – sins that are hidden from me. This is why we pray for wisdom, understanding and the Holy Spirit in our lives; so that we better know His will and how to apply it. Thus we become more like Him. We are told by John (1 John 1:7) that when we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Our hidden sins are forgiven!

Which of us has not committed “willful sins”? This is when we know better but that desire, fear, love, hate or shame gets the best of us and we do or say something we know is wrong. David certainly knew that adultery, lying and murder were wrong but then committed these with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. When we become conscious of our sin we, like David, must repent of it. The danger of willful sin is that it comes to rule us. We do it once and feel guilty. We do it again and feel less guilty and continue this until it no longer bothers us to do that which used to torment us. As this happens we then begin to do something else that we know is wrong and soon it doesn’t bother us either, until Satan has control and we are no longer even trying to serve God. You may be thinking that this could be true for others but it can’t or won’t happen to me. Paul used the example of Israel of old to teach us in I Cor. 10:11-12. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! It can happen to me (or you)! In fact, as I reflect on my past, I see it is when I think I am the strongest and doing the best that I find myself caught up in some sin. I think we say something like, “the higher we fly, the harder we fall”. The problem comes from the fact that when I think I am standing, I am looking at myself and how good I am instead of looking to God and realizing that my strength is really His strength in me. So, instead of looking to self when things are going good, we need to thank God for our blessings, our strength our wisdom, etc. We must realize that it is God living in us is why things are going right. If God is truly living in us, how can anything not be right?! So, what better prayer to end these ideas and to start our day than what David prays here: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
May God bless each of us as we live for Him. My prayer is with you all that you may have a good day and a safe weekend. Use it for His glory.