September 7

Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 22:24-25

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Old Testament: Psalm 51:1-19

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

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, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
~ Psalms 51:1-19

It is clear from David’s writings that he does not blame anyone else for his mistakes (like so many do nowadays.) and does not attempt to justify them. These words display absolute humility and anguish over sin. David appeals to God’s mercy and love, knowing he can be forgiven as he is truly repenting.

We come to say, “Lord, the things that I want may be worldly things and earthly things and passing things and temporal things and even sinful things and even corrupting things; rather, I want what you want for me, the highest and the best and the good. But I confess that none of that is in me.”

If I were to sum up what David was feeling, I might say it like this: Sin had made him dirty, and he wanted to be clean. Guilt had made him sick, and he wanted to be well. Disobedience had made him lonely, and he wanted to be reconciled. Rebellion had made him fearful, and he wanted to be pardoned.

Churches that talk about only good things, don’t ever speak of sin, don’t ever lead the people to serious contemplation and confession of sin, may not be Christians at all. They may be churches but not made up of Christians or if some are Christians, they are of the most immature kind.

The Believer’s Confession of Sin – Psalm 51

~ John MacArthur

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Summary: The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem, The Cheerful Giver

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

so let him give; of his own will and free choice, from his very heart; not as directed and forced by others, but according to his own counsel and determination:

or of necessity; of force, by coaction, being obliged to it by the influence, example, or commands of superiors; or through the powerful motives, or prevailing entreaties of others; for without these, men, according to their abilities, should give of themselves freely and liberally:

~ John Gill