King David Confesses

In Psalm 51, important to read the Psalm's heading: To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

For this account, II Samuel chapter 11 (the sin) and 12 (the rebuke from Nathan).

This Psalm is a clear example of confession to repentance. From JFB Commentary: "The Psalm illustrates true repentance, in which are comprised conviction, confession, sorrow, prayer for mercy, and purposes of amendment, and it is accompanied by a lively faith."

Psalm 51:3 - For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Acknowledge - I John 1:9.

My sin is ever before me (that is, "I am painfully aware of my sin; it is on my mind as an abiding grief"), I John 1:8, 10. Romans 7:24.

Psalm 51:4 - Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.

Notice, people hurt or involved by David's sin: Uriah, Bathsheba, David's wife Michal, David's messengers (II Samuel 11:4), Joab, the nation of Israel as a whole. All affected.

But David is aware that none of these were sinned against as much as God Almighty was. Joseph said the same thing, Genesis 39:9. If we would focus on not sinning against God, we would not sin against others.

Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

A wonderful prayer in time of confession, for He shall "cleanse us from all unrighteousness" in our confession, I John 1:9. See Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10.

Psalm 51:11 - Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

A prayer that no New Testament believer ever needs to utter, praise Jesus!

Psalm 51:17 - Blessed promise to claim when repentant! And a beautiful motivator to sincere repentance.

VM

Notes in Genesis Chapter 38

Genesis 38:2 - And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

"And he took her" in marriage, see v. 12.  Married a Canaanite and "it is not surprising that the family which sprang from such an unsuitable connection should be infamous for bold and unblushing wickedness." (Jamieson, Fausset & Brown).

Shuah the name of her father, the "certain Canaanite", not her name, see v. 12.

Genesis 38:8 - And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Custom called "Levirate marriage" incorporated into the Law, Deut. 25:5.

Note at Genesis 38:12-18 - Grieving death of wife by finding a harlot.  How sad.

Genesis 38:24 - "...And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."

The whoremonger condeming the whore: John 8:3-5.  Do as I say, not as I do.  Holding higher standards for others than self:  Matthew 7:1-2; Romans 2:1-4; Romans 2:21-24.

Genesis 38:28 - And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

She did not expect the other to break through.  This was simply so they could later identify the important firstborn if the twins were identical.  Midwife, knowing it was twins, was already prepared with scarlet thread in hand.

VM

Notes in the Second Chapter of Matthew

Matthew 2:1-4 - Nothing in the Bible states that these wise men were kings, as the Christmas carol and some traditions give.  Further, it is not necessarily "the three wise men" - there is no mention of their number.  Three is the number of gifts given, Matthew 2:11, not the number of men.  For "all Jerusalem" to be troubled with Herod (verse 3), there must have been very many wise men from the east converging on the city at once, making the people wonder.

Matthew 2:6 - The chief priests and scribes did not completely quote Micah 5:2.  They left out the part indicating that the Messiah is an eternal being.  Even today the Jews are not aware that the Messiah they still look for is to be God in the flesh, as their own scriptures indicate.

Matthew 2:11 - Notice the wise men were "come into the house" not into a stable or cave like the shepherds.  Notice they saw "the young child" not an infant.  This event may have been as much as two years after the birth of Christ, for Herod slew the children under two "according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men" in Matthew 2:16.

Matthew 2:18 - "...Rachel weeping for her children."  Bethlehem belonged to Judah, the son of Leah not Rachel.  But Rachel was buried here, Genesis 35:19.

Matthew 2:23 - "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

There is no such direct statement in any Old Testament prophet, but Matthew is clear that he is not quoting directly from a prophet, for he says "the prophets," not a particular prophet he names.  He is summarizing what the prophets generally said about what the Messiah would be called by men.  We should understand what it means to be called "a Nazarene" - a branch considered worthless.  For example, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth" says Nathanael in John 1:46.  See Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary for explanation and Matthew Henry's commentary for beautiful application.  The Messiah is the "Branch" in Isaiah 11:1.  "Branch" in Hebrew is "netzer" from which Nazareth gets its name.  According to the prophets, the Messiah was to be "despised and rejected of men," Isaiah 53.  Thus, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

VM

Philippians 4:19

Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Our reward is in this life as well as the next, v. 17.  (VM)

"My Master will fully repay you;  I cannot." - JFB*

* "Commentary on the Whole Bible" by Jamieson, Faussett & Brown