Sins of Ignorance
 

by David Smitherman

 

The Text: Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. (NIV) 

The Meaning Given To It: There are some who deny the possibility of "sins of ignorance," (i.e., engaging in that which is sinful without knowing that the conduct is improper) and say that, in vs. 12, David is not asking forgiveness for such sins. We believe it is possible to commit such sins and that these verses teach, by David's example there, that such are possible and should be prayed for. Some think, and we believe erroneously so, that the "hidden faults" David refers to are those he is either keeping hidden from others or trying to hide from God. We believe either of these interpretations of David's words to misunderstand what he is really saying.

 The Context: This psalm seems to fall naturally into three divisions: vss. 1-6, God's revelation of Himself in nature; vss. 7-11, God's revelation of himself in His word; vss. 12-14, David's prayer. It is also enlightening to examine some of the key words in this disputed passage: 

Discern (understand) means "to regard a thing understood, to know, to be acquainted with;...." Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon To The Old Testament Scriptures, p. 114.

Errors: "The primary emphasis in the root shaga is on sin done inadvertently." Read discussion in context in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, pp. 904-905

Hidden: "Hidden things, secrets, Deut. 29:28; specially hidden sins, committed ignorantly, Ps. 19:13," Gesenius, p. 596.

Willful: "Zid is frequently used to refer to three specific aspects of pride. One is presumption...The second aspect is rebellion or disobedience...The third, closely related to the second, carried the additional element of willful decision...This seems to explain David's distinction between 'hidden' (KJV 'secret') and 'presumptuous' sins (Ps. 19:12-13). He prays that he may be cleansed from the 'hidden,' thus admitting his guilt in that respect; but asks that he may be kept from the 'presumptuous.'" TWOT, p. 23

"proud (properly swelling up, inflated, with the connected idea of insolence and impiety...Ps.19:13)." Gesenius, p. 238.

Sins: The fundamental idea of the root is a breach of relationships, civil or religious, between two parties... This masculine noun designates those who reject God's authority..." TWOT, p. 741

The Meaning:
In these verses there is an obvious contrast between "errors...hidden faults" and "willful sins". The proper antithesis to sins which are done willfully---with full knowledge---is sins that are done in the absence of knowledge, i.e., done in ignorance. If, in asking for forgiveness for "my hidden faults", David refers either to sins he was trying to hide from either God or men, this, in itself, would be a presumptuous sin. David must, then, be asking for God to forgive him of those sins that he's committed and of which he was unaware.

That it is possible to commit sin and be unaware of such seems to be borne out further by the following considerations:

1. Because of the relative levels of spiritual knowledge and maturity, Heb. 5:12-14; 1 Cor. 3:1-3. No one knows all of God's will and, in those areas in which we are ignorant, therein lies the possibility to sin and be unaware of it.

2. There were "sins of ignorance" under the Old Law (Lev. 4:2,22-23,27-28; 5:15,17-19; Num. 15:22) and thus it was at least possible that David had such in mind in this psalm.

3. The Hebrew writer, alluding to this period, seems to indicate that such sins are possible now: “6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.” Heb. 9:6-7 If it were possible to sin and be unaware of it under the Old Law, why wouldn’t there be that same possibility under the New Law?

4. Are there any among us that, when looking back over their lives, can't recall learning some truth that they had previously be ignorant of and realizing that something they were doing was wrong that they thought was right, or that there were some things they weren't doing that they should have been doing? Such awareness is an acknowledgment of "sins of ignorance." 

This is not an attempt to lessen the significance of sins committed in ignorance. Sins done in ignorance are just that—sinful. However, there is hope for the person who errs in their ignorance and does more, or less, that which God’s will allows. By an appeal to God’s mercy and grace, David admitted and sought forgiveness for all his sins: his willful sins as well as his “hidden” faults. We can, and we must, do the same today.

 

 

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Jesus and the Written Word
Real Men
Abraham's Obedience
God's Call to Expansion


 

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