Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Psalms

Psalms 
Day 
Day 345

Psalm 40:12b "My iniquities have overtaken me..."

Day 345 – Psalm 40

“My iniquities have overtaken me…” Psalm 40:12b

COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM OF EVIL

To David’s credit, he did not shift all the blame on evil. With abject humility, he confessed that he was not free from blame.

“My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.”
Psalm 40:12b

1. Confession of sin

a) David admitted his personal iniquities to the Lord.
b) He further admits to a multitude of sins (“more than the hairs of my head”).

2. Consequence of sin

a) David confesses that he is not able to look up.
i) He is not able to look up with confidence.
ii) He is struggling with the weight of his iniquities.
iii) He is not able to plead blamelessness (in this context).
b) “Therefore my heart fails me”
i) This is a reference to the seat of all his emotions.
ii) His heart was in despair.
iii) He had no confidence that God would come to his rescue this time.
iv) His heart gave him no word of comfort or assurance.

THE POWER OF SIN

The power of sin is often far graver than we realize. (The apostle Paul wrote extensively on the doctrine of our struggles against sin in Romans 6-7). There is only one effective way of combating sin. Let us read again Paul’s famous cry.

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me
from this body of death?
I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Romans 7:24-25a

Let us find power from the Lord Jesus to overcome all our sin problems!