Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Title: A Cry for Mercy
By: Pastor Isaac Yim

Psalm 51:1-2

In the 1920’s a prominent pastor received this letter, “Wouldn’t the world be better off if the words “sin,” “lust,” etc. ad infinitum had never been coined?” What do you think?

If there is one thing that we all do; it is to sin. Not only do we sin, we sin a lot. We don’t do the things we are supposed to do. We do things we know we shouldn’t do. People in the Bible sinned too. Prophet Nathan pointed out the sins of King David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. David came before God to confess his sins and to plead for mercy, forgiveness and cleansing. So that he can be right again with God and his relationship with God can be restored.

Psalm 51 belongs to a group of Psalms called “Penitential Psalms.” Penitential Psalms share some common features where the Psalmist humbly realises his sorrow over his sin and spiritual failures. He confesses his sin before God and recognises his need for God’s favour and forgiveness. There are seven Penitential Psalms out of the 150 Psalms. They are Psalms 6, 32, 33, 51, 102, 130 and 143.

What is sin? The first two verses of Psalm 51 use descriptive words for sin. (1) Sin is missing the goal or something worthwhile we aim at. (2) Sin is also rebellion or mutiny, the root meaning of the word “transgression” in verse 1. (3) Sin is perversion, twisting, warp personality.

What is forgiveness? The psalmist uses picturesque words for forgiveness. (1) Forgiveness means to “blot out,” or “erase,” or “wipe out.” It simply means all our damaging entry in God’s “Record Book” is a clean slate now (v1). (2) “Wash” (v2), is the second word used for forgiveness. Imagine in the old days where the dhobi beating the clothes against a stone to get rid of the dirt or the stain. (3) “Cleanse” (v2), where in the Old Testament, a person cured from leprosy will show up in the temple before the priest to be declared that he is free or totally cleansed from this dreadful disease.

Notice David comes before God for forgiveness on the basis of God’s unfailing love and His great compassion. The unfailing love of God, or as someone describes it as the “love-that-will-not-let-me-go” enable us to come to ask for it now. The most marvellous thing about God’s love and compassion is that we don’t deserve it but He still shows His favour to us when we confess our sin and seek for forgiveness.

”As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psa 103:12).

Then God says He will bury all our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) How we thank God; He forgives and He gives us a clean slate to start afresh.

Prayer for Today

Remain silent before God and think about the things that you are sorry about. Then ask God to forgive your sins.

God have mercy! I don’t do the things I am supposed to do. I do the things that I know I shouldn’t do. Forgive me. I know I have sinned. My sins have hurt God, and damaged myself but hurt also the people closest to me. Please wash me, cleanse me, give me a new heart.

Father, thank You for loving me even when I have failed. Thank you that I can come to You with my sin and cry out for mercy and love. Your unfailing love and mercy are abundant. You are always willing to forgive.

Lord, restore your joy in my heart which is your strength which enables me to continue to walk upright. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

每日灵粮
星期二，2020年6月30日
标题：怜悯的呼求
作者：严以撒牧师
翻译：杨仕涵弟兄
诗篇51：1~2

“1神啊，求祢按祢的慈爱怜恤我，按祢丰盛的慈悲涂抹我的过犯！
2 求祢将我的罪孽洗除净尽，并洁除我的罪！”诗篇51：1~2

在1920年代，一位著名的牧师收到了这封信，“如果罪恶、欲望等词从未被创造，世界是否会变得更好？”你觉得呢？

若有一件事是我们世人都必定会做的，这件事就是罪。我们不仅犯罪，还犯很多的罪。我们不做我们该做的事。我们做我们知道不该做的事。圣经里的人物也犯了罪。拿单先知指出大卫王与拔示巴犯奸淫的罪。大卫来到上帝面前认罪并恳求上帝饶恕和洁净他。以便大卫和上帝恢复关系。

诗篇51属于“哀歌”类型的诗篇。哀歌类的诗篇有一些共同的特点，就是诗人谦卑，意识到自己对罪孽和灵命失落的悲痛。他们向上帝倾诉自己的罪过，承认他们需要上帝的恩惠和宽恕。150篇诗篇中有7篇是哀歌：诗篇第6、32、33、51、102、130和143篇。

罪是什么？诗篇51篇的前两节用描述性词语来形容罪。（一）罪就是错过或达不到目标或者所追求有价值的事情。（二）罪也是叛逆或叛变，是诗篇51：1中“过犯”的根义。（三）罪是歪曲、颠倒、扭曲人格。

宽恕是什么？诗人用如画般的词语来表达宽恕。（一）宽恕指涂抹、擦除或擦掉。这意味着我们在上帝的“记录册”中所有不好的记录已经清白，不记过去，重新开始，似乎一张白纸（第一节）。（二）“洗除净尽”（第二节），是第二个表达宽恕的词。想象一下过去洗衣服的过程，把衣服不断地拍在石头上，为了要除掉泥沙或污染。（三）“洁除”（第二节）在旧约中，麻风病治愈者将去到圣殿给祭司检查，祭司将宣布痊愈者已经从麻风病中获得自由或彻底洁除了。

注意大卫是在上帝永不止息的爱和极大的怜悯来到上帝面前恳求宽恕。上帝永不止息的爱，或像圣诗《伟大的爱》中所描述的“永不离我伟大的爱”使我们能够现在来恳求。最奇妙的就是我们根本不配得到上帝的慈爱和怜悯，但当我们认自己的罪，恳求上帝饶恕我们时，上帝仍然喜悦并施慈爱怜悯给我们。

“东离西有多远，他叫我们的过犯离我们也有多远。”诗篇103：12

上帝在弥迦书7：19节也说到祂将把我们的罪孽踏在脚下，又将我们的一切罪投于深海。我们要何等的感谢上帝；祂宽恕，并给我们一个新的开始。

今天的祷告

在上帝面前沉默，回想你之前所做过你不该做的事。求上帝原谅你的过犯。

上帝有怜悯！我不做我该做的事。我做那些我知道我不该做的事。饶恕我。我知道我犯了罪。我得罪了上帝，也伤害了自己，也伤害了身边最亲近的人。求主将我的罪孽洗除净尽，洁除我的罪，并赐给我一个新心。

天父，谢谢祢因为即使我失败祢还是爱我。谢谢祢，因为我可以带着我的过犯来到你面前呼求祢的怜悯和慈爱。祢永不止息的爱和怜悯是丰盛的。祢总是愿意宽恕我。

主啊，恢复祢在我心中的喜乐，祢的力量使我能够继续直立行走。主耶稣我感谢祢。

奉主耶稣的名求。阿门。