June 4 - Morning
"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place."
- Psalms 51:1-6
- Psalms 51:1-6
Sin, Covenant and Forgiveness
Psalm 51 is an exceptional model for the confession of sin. These words of David appeal to the character of God and his divine faithfulness secured in the covenant he has with his people.
The setting for this Psalm is precisely identified in the superscript as the time when the prophet Nathan came to David to confront David concerning his sin with Bathsheba and the orchestration of the murder of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11 and 12).
The first six verses can be outlined as follows:
- Request for forgiveness in Psalm 51:1-2
- Confession of the personal sins in Psalm 51:3-4 (similar to confession of known personal sins in 1 John 1:9)
- Rationalization of God’s judgment in Psalm 51:4b
- Confession of having a sin nature in Psalm 51:5-6 (Similar to universal sin stated in 1 John 1:8, 10)
Parallels between David’s words to Nathan, the prophet, in 2 Samuel 12 can be made with the statements and wording also used in Psalm 51. For example:
- In 2 Samuel 12:13 David says, “I have sinned against the Lord (YHWH).” This matches David’s words in Psalm 51:4 when says in similar fashion, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.”
- David uses the verb “sin” in 2 Samuel 12:13. The same Hebrew verb for sin used in 2 Samuel 12:13 is used in 7 verses of this psalm, Psalm 51:2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13. In 51:7 the word for “sin” is found in the Hebrew word translated “cleanse me” which could literally be translated “un-sin me.”)
Davd’s confidence in approaching God is immediately found in the first two verses (51:1-2) where God’s “unfailing love” and his “great compassion” are appealed to as the justification for seeking mercy and the obliteration (“blot out” or “wipe off”) of any transgression. The Hebrew word translated as “love” and “compassion” refers to the obligation God desirously and willingly entered into with his covenant with Israel. (This type of covenant is seen in an appeal for deliverance from enemies in Psalm 31:15-16 and the request to remove divine judgment in Psalm 85:5-7). David does not deserve such mercy, neither can David demand forgiveness. But, according to the covenant the Lord made to help Israel in their weakness, David can willingly make confession of his sin and come back into agreement with God. In which case, God will remove David’s guilt and forgive his sin.
Three important verbs are used for the concept of “sin”:
- 51:1, “transgression” is self-willed defiance of God and rebellion toward God’s will.
- 51:2, “iniquity” is from a word that means bending and twisting. It refers to a state of distortion.
- 51:2, “sin” is a common word used in this or some other description of sin over 500 times in the Old Testament. The base meaning is “to miss the mark.” The positive use of the word in reference to NOT “missing the mark” is found in Judges 20:16 in praise of the stone slingers defending the tribe of Benjamin:
“Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were
left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and NOT miss.”
- “to blot out” in 51:1 means “to obliterate.” This is an aggressive word that is translated “wipe off” in Proverbs 30:20 and Isaiah 25:8 and 2 Kings 21:13. It is used to refer to “obliterating” a name from a written document in Deuteronomy 9:14. This idea is captured in Isaiah 44:22:
“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” - “wash away” in 51:2 is a word used for washing clothes in Exodus 19:10 and 2 Samuel 19:24. The Hebrew word comes from the verb which means “to pummel” and “to tread” which describe the process of beating clothes to wash them. This word is used in Jeremiah 2:22 when the Lord says that man is NOT able to “wash away” or “beat” his own sin out of his human nature or his memory:
“Although you wash yourself with soap
and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.” - “cleanse me” in 51:2b is also used of removing purifying silver in Malachi 3:3, of the wind removing clouds in Job 37:21, and of Naaman’s leprous skin being healed in 2 Kings 5:14.
Hrh (Hb) – to be inflamed (Eng) - The Hebrew root word hrh means “to be hot” and “to burn” referring to wrath. The verb form occurs 93x in the OT in reference to wrath either divine or human.
◦ Habakkuk 3:8
◦ Genesis 44:18
◦ Habakkuk 3:8
◦ Genesis 44:18
I will confess my sin and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
Today I will restore and refresh my fellowship with God.
Bible Reading Descriptions Here
Personal
Relationships at work
Church
Financial support and responsible spending
Nation
Jobs
World
Gibraltar
The under-road, under ground sewer (gutter) system from 70 AD Jerusalem.
(Details)
Video from inside this gutter system below:
(Details)
Video from inside this gutter system below:
Someone to Quote
"I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that you use Christian nourishment only and abstain from herbage of a different kind. I mean heresy. For those mix up Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine."
- Ignatius to the Trallians in 110 AD
- Ignatius to the Trallians in 110 AD
Something to Ponder
Jehovah's Witnesses have the lowest retention rate of any religious tradition. Only 37% of all those who say they were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses still identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses.
(The Pew Forum, source)
(The Pew Forum, source)
Here’s a Fact
This is list #3 of 4 that identifies a total of forty-one bullae (seal impressions in clay) used on official documents and sealed by someone mentioned in the Bible or by a servant of a biblical personality. The existence and discovery of these bullae (seal impressions in clay) attest to the accuracy and historicity of the text in the Old Testament documents:
Baruch and Neriah (Jer.36:32) says, “Seal of Baruch son of Neriah the Scribe”
Priestly family of Immer (Jer.20:1-18) says, “Ga’alyahu…son of Immer”
Seriah and Heriah (Jer.51:59) says, “Seriah son of Neriah”
Malchiah (Jer.38:6) says, “Malchiah son of the king”
Hananiah and Azzur (Jer.28:1) says, “Hananiah the son of Azariah (Azzur)”
Gemariah and Shaphan (Jer.36:10-12) says, “Gemariah son of Shaphan”
Jerahmeel (Jer.36:26) says, “Jerahmeel son of the king”
Jehucal and Shelemiah (Jer.37:3; 38:1) says, “Jehucal son of Shelemiah”
Baruch and Neriah (Jer.36:32) says, “Seal of Baruch son of Neriah the Scribe”
Priestly family of Immer (Jer.20:1-18) says, “Ga’alyahu…son of Immer”
Seriah and Heriah (Jer.51:59) says, “Seriah son of Neriah”
Malchiah (Jer.38:6) says, “Malchiah son of the king”
Hananiah and Azzur (Jer.28:1) says, “Hananiah the son of Azariah (Azzur)”
Gemariah and Shaphan (Jer.36:10-12) says, “Gemariah son of Shaphan”
Jerahmeel (Jer.36:26) says, “Jerahmeel son of the king”
Jehucal and Shelemiah (Jer.37:3; 38:1) says, “Jehucal son of Shelemiah”
Proverb
"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life."
- Proverbs 4:13
- Proverbs 4:13
Coach’s Corner
In an attempt to be culturally relevant the modern church has made itself historically and eternally irrelevant.
1 Samuel 13
New International Version (NIV)
Samuel Rebukes Saul
13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
Israel Without Weapons
16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. 17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.
19 Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Jonathan Attacks the Philistines
23 Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.
New International Version (NIV)
Samuel Rebukes Saul
13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
Israel Without Weapons
16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. 17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.
19 Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Jonathan Attacks the Philistines
23 Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.
Micah 5
New International Version (NIV)
A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
5
Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
3
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
4
He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
5
And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,
6
who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders.
7
The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man.
8
The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue.
9
Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots.
11
I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.
12
I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.
13
I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.
14
I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities.
15
I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.”
New International Version (NIV)
A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
5
Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
3
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
4
He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
5
And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,
6
who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders.
7
The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man.
8
The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue.
9
Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots.
11
I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.
12
I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.
13
I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.
14
I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities.
15
I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.”
Proverbs 4-5
New International Version (NIV)
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2
I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3
For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4
Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8
Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9
She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
10
Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15
Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16
For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17
They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21
Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22
for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24
Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27
Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Warning Against Adultery
5
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,
2
that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3
For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
4
but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
5
Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
6
She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7
Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
8
Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
9
lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
10
lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another.
11
At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
12
You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
13
I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.
14
And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”
15
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
16
Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
17
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
18
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19
A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20
Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21
For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.
22
The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23
For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
New International Version (NIV)
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2
I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3
For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4
Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8
Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9
She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
10
Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15
Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16
For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17
They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21
Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22
for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24
Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27
Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Warning Against Adultery
5
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,
2
that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3
For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
4
but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
5
Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
6
She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7
Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
8
Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
9
lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
10
lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another.
11
At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
12
You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
13
I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.
14
And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”
15
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
16
Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
17
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
18
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19
A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20
Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21
For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.
22
The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23
For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.