“But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:12-13, RSV)
Presumption: “to take for granted; to overstep due boundaries; to take liberties.”
In verse 12, the psalmist is asking God to help him see those subtle sins which need the light of God’s Word and God’s Spirit in order to unearth them, for they hide in the corners of our souls. One variety of this kind of sin is “presumptuous sins”. Some translations of verse 13 use the term “willful sins” instead of “presumptuous sins”, however “willful sins” are conscious, outright rebellion against God’s commands; things that we know are wrong, yet choose to do anyway. Depending on how grave they are, they could actually be “mortal sins”, sins which kill the life of God in us until we repent and are restored through confession.
“Presumptuous sins” seem to point to something different, for these may operate in my life in less obvious ways than outright disobedience. I can be presumptuous for example if I think or act as if I know better than God about how he “should” answer my prayers. I can be presumptuous if I trust in my own reasoning about how to solve a problem, and barge ahead without waiting to pray about something I know I should pray about (See 1 Corinthians 10:12).
I might be presuming on God’s mercy if I convince myself that a particular sin is minor, “no big deal” instead of coming to God humbly, in poverty of spirit, asking for forgiveness. If I know that all my failures of love of God and neighbor (no matter how small) are significant, I show both pride and contempt for God if I minimize them, for he does not. Not only is sin itself deceitful (Hebrews 3:12-13), promising what it can never deliver, but so are our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9).
Am I being presumptuous when I treat prayer casually, assuming God “understands” when I’m “too busy”? Do I at times treat the Sacraments with such casualness, going through the motions, just “checking the box”? Do I even treat God’s word in Scripture like that, taking it for granted simply because I’m reading something familiar? Am I really paying attention, listening and readying myself to respond with obedience, or just reading the words?
The worst and most subtle form of presumption I see in my own life is when I get on a “self improvement program”, trying to make myself more virtuous by my own efforts. It’s as though I have temporarily forgotten that I am unable fundamentally to change myself by myself. My part is to cooperate with the Spirit’s redeeming work. It is only those who know they are in need of the Great Physician who receive healing. Only God Himself can make me a new creation; only He can fit me for Heaven.
Lessons From Love School 