John Calvin Commentary Psalms 19:12

"Who can discern [his] errors? Clear thou me from hidden [faults]." — Psalms 19:12 (ASV)

Who can understand his errors? This exclamation shows us what use we should make of the promises of the law, which have a condition attached to them. It is this: As soon as they are presented, everyone should examine his own life and compare not only his actions but also his thoughts with that perfect rule of righteousness which is laid down in the law. Thus it will happen that all, from the least to the greatest, seeing themselves deprived of all hope of reward from the law, will be compelled to flee for refuge to the mercy of God. It is not enough to consider what the doctrine of the law contains; we must also look into ourselves, that we may see how far short we have come in our obedience to the law.

Whenever the Papists hear this promise, He who does these things shall live in them (Leviticus 18:5), they do not hesitate at once to connect eternal life with the merit of their works, as if it were in their power to fulfill the law, which we all transgress, not only in one point, but in all its parts. David, therefore, being involved, as it were, in a labyrinth on all sides, acknowledges with astonishment that he is overwhelmed by the multitude of his sins.

We ought then to remember, in the first place, that because we personally lack the righteousness the law requires, we are therefore excluded from the hope of the reward the law has promised. In the next place, we should remember that we are guilty before God, not of one or two faults, but of innumerable sins. Consequently, we ought, with the bitterest sorrow, to mourn our depravity, which not only deprives us of God's blessing but also turns life into death for us.

This David did. There is no doubt that when, after having said that God liberally offers a reward to all who observe His law, he cried out, Who can understand his errors? It was from the terror with which he was stricken when thinking about his sins. Regarding the Hebrew word שגיאות, shegioth, which we have translated errors, some think David means lesser faults. However, in my judgment, he simply meant to say that Satan has so many devices by which he deceives and blinds our minds that no one knows even a hundredth part of his own sins.

The saints, it is true, often offend in lesser matters through ignorance and carelessness; but it also happens that, being entangled in Satan's snares, they do not perceive even the greater faults they have committed. Accordingly, all the sins to which people give themselves free rein are justly included under the Hebrew word David uses here, which signifies faults or ignorances. People commit these sins because they are not properly aware of the evil within them and are deceived by the temptations of the flesh. In summoning himself and others before God's judgment seat, he warns himself and them that even if their consciences do not condemn them, they are not therefore absolved. This is because God sees far more clearly than human consciences, for even those who look most attentively into themselves do not perceive a large part of the sins with which they are chargeable.

After making this confession, David adds a prayer for pardon: Cleanse me from my secret sins. The word cleanse refers not to the blessing of regeneration but to free forgiveness; for the Hebrew verb נקה, nakah, used here, comes from a word that signifies to be innocent. The Psalmist explains more clearly what he meant by the word errors by now calling them secret sins. These are sins about which people deceive themselves, thinking they are not sins. They deceive themselves in this way not only purposely and by expressly aiming to do so, but also because they do not properly consider the majesty of God's judgment.

It is futile to attempt to justify ourselves under the pretext and excuse of ignorance. Nor does it help to be blind to our faults, since no one is a competent judge in his own case. Therefore, we must never consider ourselves pure and innocent until we are pronounced so by God’s sentence of absolution or acquittal.

The faults we do not perceive must necessarily come under the review of God’s judgment and bring condemnation upon us, unless He blots them out and pardons them. And if so, how will anyone escape and remain unpunished who, besides these hidden faults, is also chargeable with sins they know themselves to be guilty of—sins for which their own conscience compels them to judge and condemn themselves?

Furthermore, we should remember that we are not guilty of only one offense, but are overwhelmed with an immense mass of impurities. The more diligently anyone examines himself, the more readily he will acknowledge with David that if God were to uncover our secret faults, an abyss of sins so great as to have neither bottom nor shore, as we say, would be found in us. For no one can comprehend in how many ways he is guilty before God.

From this it also appears that the Papists are bewitched and chargeable with the grossest hypocrisy when they pretend they can easily and quickly gather all their sins once a year into a bundle. The decree of the Lateran Council commands everyone to confess all his sins once every year, and at the same time declares that there is no hope of pardon except by complying with that decree.

Accordingly, the blinded Papist, by going to the confessional to mutter his sins into the priest's ear, thinks he has done all that is required, as if he could count on his fingers all the sins he has committed during the entire year. In contrast, even the saints, by strictly examining themselves, can scarcely come to know a hundredth part of their sins and, therefore, unanimously join David in saying, Who can understand his errors? Nor will it suffice to allege that it is enough if each person performs the duty of counting his sins to the best of his ability.

This does not in any way diminish the absurdity of this famous decree. Since it is impossible for us to do what the law requires, all whose hearts are truly and deeply imbued with the principle of the fear of God must necessarily be overwhelmed with despair as long as they think themselves bound to list all their sins in order to be pardoned. And those who imagine they can unburden themselves of their sins in this way must be entirely foolish.

I know that some explain these words in a different sense, viewing them as a prayer in which David implores God, by the guidance of His Holy Spirit, to recover him from all his errors. But, in my opinion, they are to be viewed rather as a prayer for forgiveness, and what follows in the next verse is a prayer for the aid of the Holy Spirit and for success in overcoming temptations.