As you can see we return to the text which we used this morning. Earlier I pointed out that there is a progression of revelation in these words. They move from the revelation of God in nature to that of His Word and then to the heart of the Christian.
But there is a caveat attached to the last part of that last sentence. I got an e-mail from some unknown critic who had been doing some reading on our website. And in there somewhere he read that we believe the Bible to be the end of God’s special revelation. He wrote that if Christians don’t have God’s revelation in their hearts, they aren’t really Christians. That might, or might not be a true statement, but what I think he meant, is definitely not true. He was probably saying that there is on-going special revelation given to Christians which are equal to the written Word of God. That is what used to be known as “New Light” doctrine, and it is heresy. I don’t mean the Lord can’t speak to hearts, lead our feet, or illuminate already-given revelation. But that sort of thing is not the same as the special revelation which we have in the Word of God. The Bible is not still progressing; there aren’t 166 books to the Bible now that 2,000 years have passed.
As I said, we see in this Psalm a progression of knowledge. And as David grew in his knowledge of Jehovah, the knowledge of his own sinful condition festered. In fact it is safe to say that he progressed in his fear of sin. Admittedly it ebbed and flowed, but generally-speaking, David was “a man after God’s own heart.”
Two centuries ago, a certain Colonel Gardner had proven himself on the battlefields of his nation. He had led his men through hail storms of fire and lead. He had faced the steel of hardened swords and hardened hearts. But one day at home, long after the battles of war had ended, he was challenged to a duel. It was at a time in human history when it was considered shameful to try to avoid such a challenge. But Colonel Gardner replied, “You know sir, that I have no fear of fighting, of killing you, or of dying myself. But there is one thing that I do fear, and that is sin. The taking of your life, or the losing of my own in such a stupid fashion as this would be sin. No sir, I will rather face your scorn than to accept your challenge and sin against God.”
Centuries before that, eloquent Chrysostom was being threatened by some of the officers of Rome. Many saints whom he had known had been slain by being fed to the lions. But Chrysostom said to the soldiers, “Go tell the Empress: I fear nothing, but sin.” His fear of political power, physical death and hungry lions did not match his fear of the Lord – or sin.
One of the great sins of the 21st Century, is a lack of fear for sin. May this be one of the lessons that we learn here this evening. David prayed: “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” And then he added, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins.”
Consider first of all, the person whom David considers himself to be: God’s SERVANT.
There is some significance in the Psalmist’s use of the word “servant” here. David’s son, Solomon, on several occasions said things like: “Lord, keep back thy king – or keep ME – from presumptuous sins.” There was absolutely nothing wrong in Solomon saying something like that – he was king. But David often showed more humility than any of his children. And David usually showed an agreement with a far broader range of people. He comes across to us more like a simple Christian than as a king like Solomon. This verse relates to any child of God who is serving the Lord at any capacity. It is the Christian who cleans the church, as well as he who preaches God’s Word from the pulpit. It is the man out knocking on doors, just as much as it is the door-keeper in the House of God. David doesn’t ignore even the child who is asked to empty the trash. “Lord, keep back THY SERVANT also from presumptuous sins.”
The point is – servanthood is not a guarantee of victory over – or exemption – from sin. Too many Christians that I know can quote the verses found in the Epistle of First John. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” Too many Christians quote the verses, but forget the reality that sin lieth at the door. I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised to be told by the Lord that every Christian in this room some time this week has committed some variety of presumptuous sin. There has been a wilful lie, an unrebuked bit of pride, some deliberate jealousy – intentional sin. But, how many are not the least bit disturbed by those sins? How many can recall even any struggle against sin in their lives this week? How many have spent even a single minute in reviewing his life in search of such a transgression?
Just to be semi-active in the work of the Lord, exempts no one from presumptuous sins. Abraham was a servant of God and a member of the elite “Champions of the Faith” club. But Abraham premeditated, and then deliberately lied about his wife to a foreign king. And then what’s more he did it a second time to another king. And it was knowing full well that God hated and judged the crime the first time. Adam’s choice of fruit over fellowship with Jehovah was a willful, voluntary and presumptuous sin. David’s sin with Uriah’s wife might be mitigated by calling it an act of passion or an act of the moment, but yet that doesn’t limit or alleviate the sinfulness of the sin in the slightest degree. But then David’s murder of that woman’s husband, cannot be called anything less than the premeditated, calculated disregard of God’s explicit command against murder. When Peter first denied that he knew the Saviour, it was sin and shame, but when he repeated his crime a second and third time, there was no excuse whatsoever.
Servanthood does not prevent sins of presumption. In fact, true servants of God commit more sins of presumption than non-servants. Because it is assumed that God’s servants know better what is the will of God and what is sin. “Lord, keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.”
Consider, secondly, the fact that sins are NOT ALL EQUAL.
I make that statement with caution, because in some ways – all sins are equivalent. Man may say that some sins are venial and some are mortal; but God has never said that. The Lord has said, “There is no sin which can be remitted without shedding of the blood of my Son.” “And the wages of all sin is death.” In some ways all sins meet at the same point.
But David, nevertheless, differentiates between secret and presumptuous sins. Secret sins are dangerous, simply because they are secret or unknown. They are like the little spider who hides himself in your shoe to keep warm. As you slip on that shoe for the 1,000th time without any thought, there lies the hidden one. Presumptuous sins, on the other hand, are dangerous just because they are presumptuous. They involve a deliberate act of rebellion. And they often lead to dominion and enslavement which may be different from the secret sin. And furthermore, Old Testament law points out the horrendous magnitude of presumptuous sins. There were offerings for every kind of sin that any Israelite might commit. There were lamb sacrifices, bird sacrifices, bull sacrifices, goat sacrifices, and so on. But listen to Numbers 15:30-31: “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.” But, now under the New Testament blood of Christ there is indeed forgiveness of any and all sin. And yet God still went out His way to show His particular abhorrence of sins of presumption.
And what are those presumptuous sins? They are sins against knowledge – sins against the revelation which God has given us. Achan had heard God’s command against stealing from the city of Jericho. Yet that man deliberated choose to reject the knowledge which he had been given. He was a premeditated thief, and he died without mercy. And like him, how often have us deliberately disregarded God’s explicit commands? Presumptuous sins are transgressions committed against our God-activated consciences. There are many times, when people are not sure whether or not such and such is sin. Yet, deep in the recesses of their hearts, their consciences say, “Don’t do this thing.” As a rule, when a conscience speaks out against anything, the Christian can chalk it up a true witness. It is always better to not do something which might be sin – than to do it and perhaps sin against God. To sin against one’s conscience is almost always a presumptuous sin. Of course, all sins committed after deliberation are presumptuous sins. Most sins committed when there is very little temptation, are presumptuous sins. In other words, it is an act of conscious choice. Presumptuous sins are usually not a spur of the moment type of transgression. Then again, most sins committed against great restraint, are presumptuous sins. To sin when you must go out of your way to do so usually indicates a sin of presumption. To sin when you must abandon reason, friends, conviction of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. And as a general rule, sins of continuation are sins of presumption. Perhaps the first time that we did that particular thing, we didn’t know any better. But now we do, and to commit that sin again, to do it anyway, is presumption.
Sin is sin, but it is one thing to FALL into sin, and it is another to JUMP into it’s arms. It is one kind of sin to gaze on a beautiful woman, who happens to walk by on the street. It is a presumptuous sin to buy a Playboy magazine to study the Playmate of the Year. It is one thing for a man to neglect cut hair; and it is another to want to let it grow down past his shoulders. It is foolish to spit into the wind. “Lord, keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.”
But what about David’s request – “KEEP ME BACK from those presumptuous sins”?
It is very important that even the servant of God be strengthened against these sins. For no man, in himself, is a match against the deluge of temptation and sin flowing against us. No man can in his own strength be successful against temptation time after time.
I go on record once again in saying that the words of the King James Bible are as important as the original Greek and Hebrew. We can learn much by referring to the original spoken and written words. But, we can earn an incredible education by studying our plain old English Bible. In looking at words “keep back” we see something that is different from a lot its potential synonyms. For example, if this verse had said, “restrain” thy servant from presumptuous sins, I would picture David like a big fierce dog – frothing at the mouth wanting to eat the visiting preacher. But David wasn’t talking about choking himself on God’s chain wanting, longing and yearning for more sin. The true servant of God finds far too much sin already in his life. The true servant of God DOES NOT WANT more sin. “Keep back” paints a picture in my mind of a fence in front of David, rather than a leash holding him from behind. I visualize a loving God, putting up barriers and obstacles, with detour signs. This verse is a plea for God to step between His servant and slime-pit of sin. “Lord, interfere” – “Lord, intervene.”
And in fact, herein lies a great incentive towards purity. “Lord step between me and my danger. Let me see thy beloved face once again.” The greatest incentive for Christian purity are the face and the wounds of the Saviour.
And when I say “Saviour,” I point out the fact that David already had a Saviour. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” The lost man, the unbeliever, the sinner is not going to be concerned about sin. Presumptuous, secret, accidental, whatever; it makes no difference to him. But sin made a difference to David, because he already knew the Redeemer.
Christ can meet any of our sins head on – He already has. The Son of God went to war with sin, culminating at the battle at Calvary. And Christ walked away with sin’s scalp under His belt. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “Be it known unto you men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto the forgiveness of sins.” “And by him all that repent of their sin and believe on him, are justified from all their sin.”
There is victory over presumptuous sins – it begins at Calvary. But it doesn’t end there. I have just re-read a 500 page history of the Revolutionary War. One of the things we see in that war is General Washington standing back in the distance watching the unfolding battles. Those battles were won on the front lines by common soldiers. Victory over presumptuous sins begins at Calvary, but it is fought with Holy Spirit blessing our hearts on the front lines. If we have no desire for victory over sin, then there will be no victory. But we are not the cause or conclusion of the victory – we are the place where it is fought. David knowing his weaknesses prayed as all should – “Lord, keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.”