Psalm 51

As I was doodling with http://www.wordle.net/ I copied in Psalm 51. What powerful words.

But have you have REALLY wondered why David says “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.”?

Walk with me through a word study.

Transgression:

1. action violating law or code: a crime or any act that violates a law, command, or moral code
2. commission of wrongs: the committing of acts that violate a law, command, or moral code
3. overstepping limit: an act or the process of overstepping a limit

Iniquity:

1. injustice or immorality: great injustice or extreme immorality
2. immoral act: a grossly immoral act

Sin:

1. transgression of theological principles: an act, thought, or way of behaving that goes against the law or teachings of a religion, especially when the person who commits it is aware of this
2. shameful offense: something that offends a moral or ethical principle
3. estrangement from God: in Christian theology, the condition of being denied God's grace because of a sin or sins committed


One teacher I had many years ago described the three words like this:

Transgression is shaking your fist at God as you sin.
Iniquity is twisting God’s word to fit your circumstances and actions.
Sin is falling short of the glory of God.

Now what did David say?
Wash away my immoral injustice and cleanse me from my shameful ungodly offense. For I know that I overstepped my authority and broke the law and my estrangement from you is always before me.

No wonder God called David “The Apple of His Eye.” So repentant of his sins, his iniquities and transgressions that in God’s eye…David was sinless.