Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

A TRIPLE BLESSING

1. Setting of this unusual petition:
   1. Nathan's exposure of David's hideous sin against God, against Uriah, a loyal subject of David's kingdom - 2 Sam. 12:1-13
   2. David's sincere and contrite confession- "I have sinned against the Lord" - 2 Sam. 12:13
   3. Nathan's assurance to the penitent king - "The Lord also hath taken away thy sin; thou shalt not die." - 2 Sam. 12:13
2. David's bold approach to the throne of mercy:
   1. He uses "God's mercy" as the foundation for pardon
   2. Making the multitude of God's tender mercies the basis for his appeal

1. In our former lesson we noted David's threefold view of his sin:
   1. He speaks of his sin as "transgression" - Ps. 51:1-3
   2. Iniquity - Ps. 51:3-5
   3. Crime - Ps. 51:3-5
2. And, now he seeks a triple blessing:
   1. He appeals at once to mercy of God before he mentions sin
   2. Mercy is a foremost attribute of God - "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful," is part of His name - Ex. 34:4
   3. The word "Merciful" in Latin is midericordia miseria - a heart touched and pained at the misery of another
   4. Examples: The father to his prodigal son - Luke 15:20; the Lord of our Lord's parable - Matt. 18:27
3. A Query:
   1. Have we heard David's cry for pardon?
   2. Have we heard how David thinks of forgiveness
   3. Why he was forgiven already? We knew that he knew he was forgiven already - Ps. 32:5
   4. We shall see that he asked for three special blessings - God's forgetfulness; God's sanctification of the soul, and the renewal of fellowship with the Lord

1. "Blot our my transgression"
   1. This is an appeal to God's forgetfulness of sin - some Bible translations read, "To rub or wipe off my transgression"
   2. Said the Lord to his people: "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." - Is. 44:22
   3. Again, the prophet of the Lord says: "Cast my sins behind thy back" - Is 38:17
   4. The prophet Micah says: "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" - Micah 7:19
2. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin:"
   1. The Hebrew word "Kabas" is used 37 times in the bible and it is always used with reference to cleansing - making clean
   2. Note, how the Lord cleanses us from sin, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red life crimson, they shall be as wool" Is.1:18
   3. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" - Zech. 13:1
   4. "Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood" - Rev. 1:5
3. "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."
   1. Restoration was the third blessing he sought from the Lord
   2. Examples: the prodigal received the ring of restoration from his father - Luke 15:11-32; The restoration of the chief butler to Pharaoh's favor - Gen. 40:21; A king whose hand had been restored unto him through the intercession of the prophet of God - I Kings 13:6
   3. Sin breaks connection with God and the joy of Divine fellowship - Is. 55:1-3
   4. The Psalmist was most anxious that his former joyous fellowship with God would be restored - a very desirable petition
   5. "He restoreth my soul" - Ps. 23:3
   6. When the leper had been cleansed from his leprosy, he was restored to the congregation - Lev. 13:6-34