The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:7,12-14
When I was in grade school, there were many times that I thought a teacher or a parent had eyes in the back of their head. I could not get away with anything I was not supposed to be doing. Sometimes my hidden thoughts were identified by those who were not even looking at me. And to prevent me from even trying something out of line, they said, “Just remember, God sees everything you do.”
Having someone watching our every move can help to keep our actions in check, but what about our thoughts and the things we are tempted to say? When we allow the bright light of God’s law to shine into our inner self, it illuminates our hidden faults and lights up a warning. Without God’s law we are blind to what separates us from God.
The psalmist knows that he cannot see his faults by looking into a mirror. He looks instead into God’s law and asks God to forgive not only his visible sins but also his hidden faults.
And the God of the Bible does forgive. Knowing the fact of God’s forgiveness assures the psalmist that he will be blameless in God’s sight. Not perfect yet, but blameless now.