Psalm 18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. Things that David here takes notice of. 1. The greatness of the danger he was in. 2. The glory of his deliverance, regarded as an answer to prayer. 3. The fruit of it. The love of God is enlarged and inflamed. His confidence in God is enlarged. He is by this quickened and encouraged unto prayer. 4. The grounds of all these mercies. God's free grace. In the person to whom the mercy is bestowed; for as God stands in a peculiar covenant relation to His people, so He hath a peculiar providence over them. God is with His people at all times, but He is nearest to them in the worst times. David shows wherein his sincerity doth appear. "I have not departed from God wickedly." "All His judgments were before me." "I was also upright before Him, and I kept me from mine iniquity." A sincere heart hath the most serious resolutions, the most unfeigned detestations, and therefore the greatest and the most diligent watchings against his own iniquity, that sin to which his nature is most prone, and wherein he is most apt to be ensnared. In the text are two things. I. DAVID'S PROFESSION OF HIS SINCERITY. There is a two-fold perfection. A legal perfection, which is a perfect conformity in nature and in life to the law of God. This was not the perfection that David here spoke of, for his failings were known and confessed by himself. There is an evangelical perfection, according to the tenor of the second covenant, and this is two fold: a perfection of justification, and a perfection of sanctification. There is a walking with God, before God, and after God; that is, in reference to the precepts of God, the providences of God, and the pattern and example of God; and these three expressions set forth a choice perfection. A godly man may have his heart upright and perfect, even in the imperfection of his ways. A man that is sincere is in God's account a perfect man; sincerity is the truth of all grace, the highest pitch that is to be attained here. Sincerity of heart gives a man boldness, even ill the presence of God, notwithstanding many failings. II. THE TESTIFICATION OF IT. How did he prove this perfection? "I have kept myself from mine iniquity." He refers to some proper and peculiar evil and way of sinning that Was his "special darling"; a beloved sin. His care was to keep himself from it. A man cannot keep himself: the Lord is his keeper. But the Lord will have us cooperate with Him. When we perform anything, by His grace we do it. So we are said to "cleanse ourselves." The doctrine is this — even the best and dearest of God's people have some sins that they are more prone to than others, which may be called their own iniquity. What is a man's own iniquity? In every man by nature sin doth reign, and a man is in just judgment given up unto the power of it. The reign of sin is double, virtual, due to original sin; and actual, due to bias of will. Actual sin is that way of sin and death that a man chooseth to himself, he having looked abroad upon all the contentments of the world, his own corrupt inclination doth choose unto himself to follow with greatest sweetness, and contentment, and delight, as that wherein the happiness of his life consists. What is it for a man to keep himself from his iniquity? 1. He takes care to keep the evil of that sin always in his eye, and to keep himself low in this consideration, that he hath been guilty of it in times past. 2. There is no sin that the heart of man is more perfectly against. The godly man hates that sin most, and breaks out against it with the greatest detestation, by which God hath been most dishonoured, and whereby his conscience hath been most enslaved in times past. 3. He is in this, above all other sins, most jealous of his heart; he fears it in respect of every occasion, and opportunity, and temptation. 4. This sin he prays most against. 5. He turns the edge of the threatening against this sin. 6. He endeavours to grow up in the contrary grace, and strengthens it by all means. How doth this prove a sincere heart? It shows a man to be truly affected by God's dishonour. It shows the truth of a man's self-denial, and his hatred against sin. It shows forth the sincerity of a man's love for God. How may a man know what his "darling sin" is? It is that where a man's treasure is. It is what is most sweet to him; what he favours most, and hides most. This sin makes all a man's lusts serviceable to it. It is the sin that most interrupts thee in holy duties. (William Strong.) Parallel Verses KJV: I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.WEB: I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity. |
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