We are to find as much bitterness in weeping for sin as
ever we found sweetness in committing it. Surely David found more bitterness in
repentance than ever he found comfort in Bathsheba. Tears have four qualities:
they are moist, salt, hot, and bitter. It is true of repenting tears, they are
hot to warm a frozen conscience; moist, to soften a hard heart; salt, to season
a soul decaying in sin; bitter, to wean us from the love of the world. And I
will add a fifth, they are sweet, in that they make the heart inwardly rejoice.
[Thomas
Watson]
James 4:8-10
… Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be
turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall
lift you up.
Joel 2:13 … And
rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
2
Corinthians 7:10 … For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world
worketh death.
Psalm
126:5 … They that sow in tears shall reap in
joy. ❤
