EXPOSITION

OF

THE FIFTY-FIRST PSALM.

"Have mercy upon me, O Lord."

THIS

EXPOSITION OF THE FIFTY-FIRST PSALM,

BY

THE REVEREND FATHER MARTIN LUTHER,

WAS PUBLISHED FOR THE GLORY OF CHRIST AND THE

EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH.

INTRODUCTION.

I EXPOUNDED, in the last spring, the Second Psalm concerning Christ as King his spiritual and celestial kingdom; how it is received by this world, how it is afflicted and torn by kings and people, and yet, nevertheless, conquers and triumphs.-Now, I purpose an Exposition of the Psalm, " Have mercy upon me, O Lord," which instructs us concerning repentance. Not, however, that I consider myself able to give an Exposition adequate to the contents of this Psalm; for I confess that I have not fully entered into the spirit which here speaks; but I have undertaken it only, that we might have an occasion and a subject matter for meditation and instruction, that I myself, together with you, may become a learner, and may depend upon the Spirit's teaching; and whatever he shall be pleased to give, we will receive, and our graces shall act accordingly.

The understanding of this Psalm is, on many accounts, both necessary and useful; for it embraces the doctrines of the essential articles of our religionof repentance, of sin, of grace, of justification; and also, of that worship which we are to render unto God. These are divine and heavenly things, which, unless they be taught by the great Spirit himself, cannot possibly enter into the heart of man. Hence we see, that, although this doctrine has been agitated by our adversaries with all their efforts, and in many and immense volumes, yet there is no one out of them all, who really knows what repentance is, what sin is, or what grace is: these are to them certain terms, or

dreams only, some mere ideas of which have flashed across their sight and understanding. And the cause of all this darkness and ignorance is this:-the true knowledge of these things does not depend upon the understanding and wisdom of human reason, nor is it (so to speak) born at home; that is, it does not grow naturally in our hearts, but is revealed and given from heaven. For who among natural men could so speak of repentance, and the remission of sins, as the Holy Spirit speaks in this Psalm?

Hence, this Psalm is commonly entitled "The Psalm of Repentance," and is celebrated above all the rest, as being used in the services and daily prayers of churches; and he who first affixed to the Psalm this title, doubtless knew something of its contents. But as to the multitude in general, who sing and pray it over in their performance of those work-services enjoined by bishops, they know nothing whatever about it. They apply this Psalm to the repentance of works, or to actual sin, which they define to be, a word, an act, or a thought against the law of God.' But this definition is by far too contracted, to set forth before the eyes of men the magnitude and power of sin. Sin must be looked into much more deeply than this; sin or sinfulness must be set forth much more clearly; for the outward act (as it is termed) is not enough to confine it to.

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From this error-the not understanding what sin is, has arisen, as is always the case, another errorthe not understanding what grace is. It has happened, therefore, that in raising up trembling consciences, and in comforting them against the fears of death and the judgment of God, these men have been utterly useless. For how can that man give consolation, who does not know what grace is? And therefore it was, that they fell into those follies of recommending to persons labouring under the burthens of their consciences, hoods, rules, and other like absurdities,