Joseph Turner Christian, Sunday School Teacher, Actor, Health Food Worker

Let us consider the context of the passage in Psalm 19.

The Psalm, itself, is believed to have been written by David. It is entitled "The Law of the Lord is Perfect" in the ESV Bible and "The Perfect Revelation of the Lord" in the NKJV.

The previous verses leading up to the verse in question talk about how the Law of the Lord is perfect, trustworthy, illuminating, and priceless (Psalm 19:7-11). 

In Psalm 19:12, David asks God not to punish him for sins that he is not aware of, and David points out that the only way we can be aware of anything is through the illuminating grace of God and, in this particular case, His Word. 

Moreover, let us consider the definition of the word 'presumptuous': unwarrantedly or impertinently bold; forward. 

So, with that context in mind, Psalms 19:13 then is David pointing out the futility of knowledge without God's enlightening guidance, and asking God to help him to be aware of sins that he is not so that they do not dominate him. As Paul says in Romans:

Romans 3:19-25 (ESV)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 

Paul is not just talking about nonbelievers, but Christians in this passage!

Knowledge of the Law comes from reading God's Word, and understanding comes from God Himself, through the Holy Spirit. It is through these things that we learn how riddled with sin we truly are. The Law has the power to reveal, however, not the power to save. 

Presumptuous sins are the sins that we, arrogantly, presume to have not committed. Many people today are unaware of how truly sinful we are, including myself. It is through the Law that we gain knowledge of our sin nature, and how helpless we truly are against it. It is through the blood of Jesus alone that we are cleansed; it is the universal solvent of God, and only God can wash us clean (Psalm 51). 

God bless!

For more commentary on Psalm 19:

https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Psalms+19:13

January 16 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leslie Coutinho

Psalm 19:13: Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I Be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

David knew his sinful nature being shaped in iniquity and in sin, for in sin, his mother conceived him in her womb. (Psalm 51:5) The secret faults that lay within him were sins committed in ignorance, without knowledge, deliberate and willful fleshly desires which are presumptuous sins, having no understanding and control over them. To be cleansed from this sinful nature one needs to understand how sinful he is and submit himself to the Lord who gives grace to the humble, which then helps you to resist the devil who has dominion over you and then he will flee from you. (Jam 4:6-7)

The ground you stand on has dominion over you which makes you fail to understand your errors as it is a habitation of demons to hold you in a cage (Rev 18:2) and to crush you before you become strong enough to resist. This understanding comes only to ones who are “willing to be restored” from the ground that they are standing on, for the Lord is our Sower who goes forth to sow. (Mat 13) For the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, for upon them that hope in mercy, (Psalm 33:13,18) to be then cleansed from this sinful nature and to hearken to His voice. 

How can you be strong enough to resist being constantly distracted, crushed, persecuted, and attacked? Fleshly (body) desires war against the soul and spirit; to be cleansed one needs to abide in Him for a branch cannot bear fruits of itself. To be cleansed from this sinful nature one needs to hearken to His voice all the days of his life for the sinful nature is in the blood which has dominion over you, and which brings lack of peace, absence of love, loss of spiritual discernment. To be innocent of this great transgression one needs to abide in Him, if not will be cast forth as a branch withered into fire to be burned. (John 15:4-6)

Psalm 1:3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

June 11 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report