July 10

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, where sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD, and thou forgaves the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye.

9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and battle, lest they come near unto thee.

10 Many sermons shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are up right in heart.

"It is told of Luther that one day being asked which of all the Psalms were the best, he made answer, 'Psalmi Paulini,' and when his friends pressed to know which these might be, he said, 'The 32d, the 51st, the 130th, and 143d. For they all teach that the forgiveness of our sins comes, without the law and without works, to the man who believes, and therefore I call them Pauline Psalms;' and David sings, 'There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared;' this is just what Paul says, 'God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all' (Rom. xi. 32)."—Luther's Table Talk.

"Get your sins hid. There is a covering of sin which proves a curse. Prov. xxviii. 13. 'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper;' there is a covering it by not confessing it, or which is worse, by denying it—Gehazi's covering—a covering of sin by a lie; and there is also a covering of sin by justifying ourselves in it. I have not done this thing; or, I did no evil in it. All these are evil coverings; he that thus covereth his sin shall not prosper. But there is a blessed covering of sin: forgiveness of sin is the hiding it out of sight, and that's the blessedness."—Richard Allaire.

Closet Promise.—There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.—Rom. viii. 1.

O my soul! is it indeed true that all thy wretchedness and guilt have been washed away "through His most precious blood?" Then, indeed, shouldst thou "rejoice and be exceeding glad."

"My soul's Restorer, let me learn In Thy deep love to live and rest! Let me the precious thing discern Of which I am indeed possessed.

My treasure let me feel and see, And let my moments as they flee Unfold my endless life in Thee!"