Sins of Infirmity and the Believer, Psalm 31:10

[Ed Walsh]

Psalm 31:10
For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength is broken through my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.​

Introduction:
Psalm 31 – is a song of trust, hope, mercy, and assured deliverance—so what is verse 10 doing in the middle of it? Below is part of Hengstenberg's exposition of the 10th verse. It spoke to my heart, so I wanted to share it with you too.

The Exposition:
Many of the expositors are altogether at sea in their efforts to explain, “through my iniquity:” it was not the guilt of the Psalmist, say they, but the wickedness of his enemies, that had involved him in suffering; he appeals to the justice of God (ver. 1), and represents himself as an upright and pious man, suffering innocently. They, therefore, explain the term, “through my suffering.” But עון is always “iniquity,” and never “suffering,” such as befalls an innocent man, nor even “punishment.” The wickedness of enemies, and the guilt of the Psalmist, co-exist as causes that have brought on his distress: the Lord, on account of his guilt, has given power to the malice of his enemies to injure him. Neither are the guilt of the Psalmist and his own righteousness inconsistent with each other: he was a righteous man in regard to the prevailing tendency of his life; but this was quite compatible with the existence of manifold sins of infirmity, which rendered it necessary that he should be purified by the cross. The righteousness of God may have brought on the Psalmist’s suffering; but that need not prevent the Psalmist from hoping that the same righteousness will effect his deliverance. Sins of infirmity call for punishment, not destruction; and it is that this, which the Psalmist finds to be already near, may be averted, that he appeals to the righteousness of God. Finally, the Psalmist might be innocent in reference to his enemies, and might, nevertheless, be given over to suffering by God on account of his guilt. It is, moreover, altogether impossible for us to keep out of view the guilt as the cause of the suffering, inasmuch as, according to the teaching of Scripture, every suffering is, and must be, a punishment, since God is just. To recognize in our sufferings a righteous retribution, is the prime condition of the hope of deliverance: he only who can say with the heart, “My strength is broken through mine iniquity,” will be able to utter with inward truth the prayer, “Deliver me for Thy righteousness’ sake.” The case of Job affords a remarkable illustration of this. His despair of a prosperous issue to his sufferings arose solely from that lack of a knowledge of sin, which rendered it impossible for him to reconcile his experience with the righteousness of God.

Hengstenberg, E. W. (1869). Commentary on the Psalms (Vol. 1, pp. 500–501). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.​

Next:
Now read the whole Psalm and be encouraged. You are beloved of God, and, there is forgiveness with Him.
Verse 24 - "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."