“But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.” -Psalm 19:12.
Please note that the verse begins with “but”. It means that what is stated herein contrasts with what is written before it. Let’s consider what is written before, that is, verse 11, “By them [the decrees of the Lord] your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Then the psalmist writes: “But who can discern their own errors? …” It is a rhetorical question suggesting that no one can discern his or her own errors by himself or herself. Hence, the Lord has provided us (the world) with his decrees so that by them we can discern our errors. Yes, there is great reward for anyone who avoids errors by listening to the warning of the Lord’s decrees. It means that there is great danger in errors, judging by the word “warning” in the psalm.
The psalmist goes on asking the Lord to forgive his hidden sins. He is talking about sins hidden to/from him which result from his errors. Hidden sins are “unwillful” sins as opposed to wilful sins in verse 13 where we read, “keep your servant also from wilful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”
The bible clearly teaches that no one (human being) is blameless before God. Here we can understand why this is so. The real problem is that we sin both wilfully and “unwilfully”, with more serious consequences when we sin wilfully -at the cost of sins ruling (taking control) of us and thereby destroying our lives causing headaches and heartaches…. Either way, we need the Lord’s forgiveness even for our hidden sins and his grace (help) to keep us from wilful sins -we cannot do it in our own strength without God’s help.
May the Lord help us all, in the name of Jesus Christ!
