The Sinfulness of My Sin Truly Realized

Against you, you only, have I sinned

                        and done what is evil in your sight,

            so that you may be justified in your words

                        and blameless in your judgment.

Psalm 51:4 ESV

 

Against thee, thee only have I sinned.  In fact, it is only thus that the sinfulness of my sin, as against my fellows can be truly realized. If I look upon it merely as a wrong done to my neighbor, I am but too ready to apologize for it. I can explain it away, or offer some sort of restitution and satisfaction. I can palliate my conduct, or I can make amends for it. But any sin is against thee! "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 22:7)

Taken from the book The Prayer of a Broken Heart: Expository Discourses on Psalm 51

by Robert Candlish 1873