The Convicted Sinner's Only Refuge

In this part of the sermon: David's need is twofold: the removal of legal guilt ('blot out') and the removal of personal defilement ('wash me throughly,' 'cleanse me'). Martin explains these concepts with…

The blotting out of sin is compared to a judge looking at a record book where an indictment is laid out. If the record can be blotted out, the judge can look upon the accused with favor, illustrating the removal of legal guilt.

God says to his people Israel, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake and will not blot out and will not remember thy sins. There's the Holy Spirit's interpretation on this. You see, this blotting out is a removal from the very sight of God of the record of the sin so that no longer does that record cry out for the vindication of God's judgment. It's the picture of a judge who when he looks down at the man standing before him, he looks to the record and here the indictment is this man is guilty of such and such a crime.

9:04 - 9:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Not only do something for me objectively in heaven, but do something subjectively for me here in my own heart.

Isaiah 44:22's imagery of God blotting out transgressions 'as a thick cloud' is used to convey the complete and total removal of sin from God's view.

As a thick cloud comes and blocks everything from its view, God says I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions. So David is praying, first of all, for the removal of his legal guilt, but he's also praying for something else. For notice he says in verse 2, wash me and cleanse me. For not only does sin incur guilt and bring a legal problem, but sin incurs personal defilement, a moral problem.

10:35 - 11:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Not only do something for me objectively in heaven, but do something subjectively for me here in my own heart.

The defiling influence of sin is likened to dye permeating the fabric of a soul, illustrating how sin stains one's entire being, not just external actions.

And David is praying not only for the removal of legal guilt, but for the removal of personal defilement. Here's what he's saying, God, when I committed these sins, they were not external to me, but the very stain of those sins has gone through the fabric of my soul like dye permeates a garment. And oh Lord, my entire being has been stained and permeated with a defiling influence. Oh God, it's not enough that you merely blot out the sin and deal with the legal problem, but wash me, oh God.

11:06 - 11:38 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: David's only plea is for God's mercy, lovingkindness, and tender mercies. Martin explains the nuances of these Hebrew words, describing them as God stooping to consider, being…

The Hebrew word for 'tender mercies' evolving to mean 'womb' is used to illustrate God's tender, encompassing, and nourishing care for the sinner, like a womb for unborn life.

Then the next word, according to thy loving kindness, it means not only to stand and look, but oh God, be moved with what you see. And then the word, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, means deal with me in grace, in unmerited favor. It's interesting, this word eventually began to be used for the word womb.

21:45 - 22:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Come to God with only one plea: mercy, without any vows, pledges, or promises.

The parable from Luke 18:10-14 is used as a classic example to contrast a man who sought forgiveness based on his own merits (Pharisee) with one who sought it based solely on mercy (Publican).

Luke 18, verse 10.

24:52 - 24:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid subtle Phariseeism by not making vows or promises to God after sinning, but rather come simply pleading for mercy.

Believers making vows or promises after sinning, thinking it improves their standing with God, is likened to a subtle form of Phariseeism, contrasting it with simply pleading for mercy.

And are we in that place as Christians? You know, one of the biggest hindrances to develop into the Christian life is we build up a subtle Phariseeism. Let me illustrate. You failed the Lord. You know you've sinned.

26:50 - 26:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: No one will plead for mercy until they see that God is a God of mercy. David's boldness in asking for mercy, despite his grave sins, stemmed from his deep understanding of God's…

David's experience of God as a 'high tower' when chased by Saul is used to illustrate how faith appropriates God's attributes according to specific needs, but this concept couldn't comfort him in his sin.

when we come to God, faith always acts in terms of what it knows of God and knows of its need. Let me illustrate. When David was out there being chased by Saul, and Saul's army was trying to track him down like some kind of a stray cur dog and just blot him out, David would think of God as his high tower. In those days, there might be a stone tower in the midst of a field, and a man could run into it, and from that vantage point he could shoot at his enemies, and David would say, the Lord is a high tower.

29:48 - 30:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: No one will plead for mercy until they see that God is a God of mercy. David's boldness in asking for mercy, despite his grave sins, stemmed from his deep understanding of God's…

David's experience of God as 'my shepherd' when feeling weak and helpless is used to illustrate how faith appropriates God's attributes, but this concept also couldn't comfort him in his sin.

And David could lie down and fall fast asleep with all his enemies raging around him. Other times, David would feel weak and stupid and helpless like a sheep. So what does he think about? The Lord is my shepherd. He thinks

30:29 - 30:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He had an understanding that he was a God of mercy. That's the only reason Psalm 51 was ever penned, because David knew that one of the crowning attributes of God was his mercy.

David's experience of God as 'the lifter up of my head' when weary is used to illustrate how faith appropriates God's attributes, but this concept also couldn't comfort him in his sin.

And what does he think of his God? He says, he is the lifter up of my head. What a beautiful picture. He says, when I get tired, God comes and cradles my head and he lifts me up.

31:05 - 31:15 Read in full sermon

The point: If you know you are a sinner, do not go to vows or resolutions, but come to a God of mercy displayed at the cross.

The cross is described as a 'Roman gibbet' where God's 'billows of his own wrath' poured over His Son, illustrating the display of God's mercy through Christ's atoning death.

a God of mercy who has spelled out his mercy on the Roman gibbet when he gave up his son to death and caused the billows of his own wrath to come pouring over his head until he cried, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And now he says, Look to my son! Flee to my son! Embrace my son! My mercy does not come

33:45 - 34:09 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have never found any problems with God having mercy on you, you are in a state of blind spiritual delusion and need your heart pierced with holy dread.

David's 'mountain of iniquity' is contrasted with the 'higher mountain' of God's mercy, illustrating the strong faith required to believe in God's mercy despite overwhelming sin.

in mercy because suddenly he just forgot about his sin. He says in the fourth verse, the Lord willing, we'll study next week. He said, my sin is ever before me. He had to get through that mountain of sin to lay hold of the mercy of God. But he

37:29 - 37:41 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are a child of God weary with confessing and crying to God over persistent sins, press on in strong faith, pleading for mercy, knowing God's mercy is not exhausted.

Peter's denial of Christ and subsequent bitter weeping, followed by the Lord's message of mercy, is used as an example of a believer needing and receiving God's inexhaustible mercy after grievous sin.

You've got to come in a strong faith that pleads for mercy. I love to think of Peter in this connection.

39:42 - 39:49 Read in full sermon