Psalm 90:8

Psalm 90:8 8 You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

”You have set our iniquities before You” Moses says in our verse for today. Iniquity… That’s a big word to our ears and we be but humble pirates. Some definitions are in order.

Encarta says:

in•iq•ui•ty [i níkwitee]
(plural in•iq•ui•ties)
n
1. injustice or immorality: great injustice or extreme immorality
2. immoral act: a grossly immoral act
[13th century. Via Old French from Latin iniquitas , from iniquus “unjust,” from in- “not” + aequus “equal” (source of English equity).]

Another definition… The Hebrew word used in Psalm 90:8 for iniquities is “avown”. Here’s a partial definition from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

Avown means “iniquity; guilt; punishment.” (1) This word is derived from the root ‘avah’ which means “to be bent, bowed down, twisted, perverted” or “to twist, pervert.” (2)’Avown portrays sin as (2a) a perversion of life (a twisting of the right way), (2b) a perversion of truth (twisting into error), or (2c) a perversion of intent (a bending of rectitude into willful disobedience).

I think if we take these two definitions together we get a good picture of what sin is.

What is sin anyway? At its most basic, elemental state it is man saying that He is equal to God. We do not want to admit that there is someone greater than ourselves.

Don’t believe me? Try this experiment then, I’m not sure about the ladies but I’m positive that it works with the fellas. Work into a conversation some great feat of your own accomplishment (it can be real or imagined) and then see if someone doesn’t do you “one better” and then see if someone doesn’t “one-up” that guy. My friends are the bravest, strongest, smartest, best looking guys on the face of the planet - at least by our own admission.

We look at God in that same light – we do not want to admit that He is greater than us. We want to be considered His equal which is why we are cavalier about our sin if we admit it at all.

Look at the Hebrew definition – twisting. We bend His Word to suit our truth. We will add to it, take away from it, re-interpret it, ignore it – anything to justify our own sin. Jesus confronts this aspect about us directly in Matthew 5. We all know that adultery and murder are sins, right? How about looking at a woman with lust? That’s adultery. How about being angry with someone without cause? That’s murder.

We are not equal to God and God knows it… Nothing is hidden from Him. “You have set our iniquities” Moses states. God lays our sins before us so that we may see them. It is in that time of reckoning that we should come to understand that we are not equal to Him. We have fallen short of His perfect standard.

"Why the target?" You may be wondering. The Greek word for sin is hamartia which literally means "missing the mark". God's standard is perfect. Anything short of perfect will separate us from God.

Go and read Matthew 19:16-22. The rich young ruler would not admit that he had missed the mark. He did not need a Savior. He failed the second test in that he would not submit to Christ. He did not want a Lord. Jesus let this man walk away without entering the kingdom.

Let us not be like this. We are not equal to God. We cannot achieve heaven based on our own righteousness. Repent from your sin. Stop justifying your perversions and admit that you need a Savior. Confess that you want a Lord of your life to direct its path from this point on.

Come to Jesus.

Grace and mercy to you all.