Sin and God's grace

Psalm 19:12-13 (ESV)

12 Who can discern his errors?

    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

    let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless,

    and innocent of great transgression.

Psalm 19:12-14 mentions three kinds of sin—errors, hidden faults, and willful sins.

Errors—sins we commit and are not aware of. David says, “Who can discern [one’s] errors?” We can commit error-sins for years and not be aware of them, unless someone courageously and lovingly points them out.

Hidden faults—sins we commit that we are aware of, but try to hide, hoping nobody catches on. David prays, “Forgive my hidden faults.”

Willful sins—attitudes, thoughts, words, actions that we know are wrong, and yet we do them anyway. David asks, “Keep your servant also from willful sins.”

But there is something encouraging here also. Though David knows he is a sinner, he is also still God’s servant.

Even willful sin doesn’t exclude us from God’s love. God’s grace never gives up on us! “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20). Despite our sin, we are still God’s servants. Maybe that’s why David asks, “May [my sins] not rule over me.” God’s servants have one ruler—and it ought not to be willful sin.

So David prays, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.” And of whom does he make that request? “O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Dear Lord, we thank You that our sin unintentional or willful, hidden or known is never too great for your discerning, forgiving, keeping grace. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.