his transgressions

November 25, 2017

Micah was the exception (Mic 3:8-3:8)

“But as for me,

I am filled

With power,

With the Spirit of Yahweh.

I am filled

With justice.

I am filled

With might.

I declare

To Jacob

His transgression,

I declare

To Israel

His sin.”

Micah was the exception to these false prophets.  He was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit of Yahweh.  He was filled with justice and might.  He was willing to declare to Jacob his transgressions.  He was willing to declare to Israel his sins.  Micah was not afraid to speak out and challenge the people of northern Israel and southern Judah.

October 3, 2015

May God have mercy (Ps 51:1-51:2)

To the choirmaster leader, a psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone into Bathsheba

“Have mercy on me!

O God!

According to your steadfast love,

According to your abundant mercy,

Blot out my transgressions!

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity!

Cleanse me from my sin!”

Psalm 51 is the great penitential psalm when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan for his sexual encounter with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12. Eventually, David and Bathsheba were punished with the death of their first born. David wanted God’s mercy because of God’s steadfast love. This psalm is like Psalm 6 as a lament that is addressed to God directly. David wanted his transgressions blotted out. He wanted his iniquities washed away. He wanted to be cleansed from his sin. He wanted everything back to normal.

September 22, 2015

Asking for forgiveness (Ps 39:6-39:10)

“Surely everyone goes about like a shadow.

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil.

They heap up.

They do not know who will gather!

Now Lord!

What do I wait for?

My hope is in you!

Deliver me from all my transgressions!

Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

I am silent.

I do not open my mouth.

It is you who have done it.

Remove your stroke from me.

I am worn down

By the blows of your hand.”

Everyone is like a shadow since they are in turmoil. They are confused. However, the psalmist is not confused because he is waiting on Yahweh. His hope is in Yahweh. He wants God to forgive his transgressions since he did not want to be the scorn of the fools. This psalmist felt that God had hit him pretty hard with his hands but he had remained silent.

September 9, 2015

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you.

I did not hide my iniquity.

I said.

‘I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh.’

Then you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah”

Once David acknowledged his sins he had no more problems. He did not hide his iniquity. He confessed his transgressions to Yahweh. Then Yahweh forgave him the guilt of his sins. Once again, there is a pause for a musical interlude with the Selah. There will be a lot of pauses or interludes in this psalm of wisdom.