The Prospect Painful But Salutary
A. K. H. Boyd, D. D. Psalm 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice. Is that the prospect that is ever before our eyes and minds? Do we train ourselves to think habitually of our faults: our unworthiness; the foolish things we have often said; the hasty, silly, ill-set, conceited, false, unjust, sinful things we have often done? Or would it not be nearer the truth, in the case of many a man, if he were to say, "My eminent abilities and deservings are ever before me; and it shall not be my fault if I do not bring them conspicuously before my fellow-men"? And hence come discontent and ingratitude, envying and grieving at a neighbour's good success; and undutiful murmuring at the appointments of God's providence. Hence comes, too, a self-sufficient spirit far removed from humility. All this and more comes of our looking at our merits rather than at our sins. Look at the other side of the page, and see how the account stands against us as well as for us. Ah, if it were with us more, as it was with David; if we bethought ourselves, oftentimes, of our sins, our failings, our mistakes, our ill-deservings, we should be more humble, more thankful, more content, more earnestly desirous to fly to that Saviour in whom is all sufficiency, and help, and grace. To look back on our past history would effectually take us down from all high thoughts of ourselves; would keep us lowly; would lead us, in our utter helplessness, to the Redeemer's feet! There are many things in Holy Scripture which teach us that however natural it may be, it is not a Christian disposition to be dwelling on our good doings and deservings. For example, our Lord's command, "When ye have done all... say, We are unprofitable servants." Paul's, "to save sinners, of whom I am chief." And his charge to us, "Work at your own salvation with fear and trembling." And now, let us think what good we may get through doing as David did, and having our sins ever before us. There is no doubt, the view is not a pleasant one. There is hardly anything that men like less than to be reminded by another of their sins, unless, indeed, it be in very general terms, which do not really touch the con. science. Yet things which are painful are sometimes profitable; and assuredly it is so here. First, it will make us humble to think habitually of the many foolish and wrong things we have done. The habitual contemplation of our sinfulness will also tend to make us thankful to God; to make us contented with our lot; to put down anything like envy in our hearts at the greater success and eminence of others. And now, let us think of something even better and more valuable as resulting from having our sin ever before us, than these things of which we have been thinking. To feel our sinfulness; to have our sins set before us, by God's Spirit, in such a way that it will be impossible to help seeing them, and seeing them as bad as they really are, is the thing that wilt lead us to Christ; lead us to true repentance on account of our sins; and to a simple trust in Him who "saves His people froth their sins." It is good for us to think of our sins. There is no need to think of our good deeds — if, indeed, we have many to think of; we cannot change them now. But to think of our sins may make a great difference upon them.:For though the deed remains, yet the sin may be blotted out by true repentance and justifying faith. To think of our merits, and dwell on them, is a mere piece of selfish gratification; but to think of our sins, and dwell upon them in a right spirit, may lead to the most precious practical results. What humble-minded, kindly, charitable, thankful, contented Christian people would all men be, if, to good purpose, they kept their "sin ever before them." Therefore may God help us so to do. (A. K. H. Boyd, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. WEB: Let me hear joy and gladness, That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.