Murder Forbidden! (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 40; II Samuel 11:6-27) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Extensive Meaning
II. The Inner Causes
III. The Implied Positive
Psalm singing: 65:1-5; 36:1-7; 50:17-22; 51:8-15
Scripture reading: II Samuel 11:6-27

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 40
Q. 105. What doth God require in the sixth commandment?
A. That neither in thoughts, nor words, nor gestures, much less in deeds, I dishonour, hate, wound, or kill my neighbour, by myself or by another;1 but that I lay aside all desire of revenge;2 also, that I hurt not myself, nor wilfully expose myself to any danger.3 Wherefore also the magistrate is armed with the sword to prevent murder.4
Q. 106. But this commandment seems only to speak of murder?
A. In forbidding murder, God teaches us that He abhors the causes thereof, such as envy, hatred, anger, and desire of revenge;5 and that He accounts all these as murder.6
Q. 107. But is it enough that we do not kill any man in the manner mentioned above?
A. No; for when God forbids envy, hatred, and anger, He commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves;7 to show patience, peace, meekness, mercy, and all kindness towards him,8 and prevent his hurt as much as in us lies; and that we do good, even to our enemies.9
1. Matt. 5:21-22. Prov. 12:18. Matt. 26:52.
2. Eph. 4:26. Rom. 12:19. Matt. 5:39, 40.
3. Matt. 4:5-7. Col. 2:23.
4. Gen. 9:6. Matt. 26:52. Rom. 13:4.
5. James 1:20. Gal. 5:20. Rom. 1:29. I John 2:9.
6. I John 3:15.
7. Matt. 22:39. Matt. 7:12.
8. Rom. 12:10. Eph. 4:2. Gal. 6:1-2. Matt. 5:5. Rom. 12:18. Ex. 23:5.
9. Matt. 5:45. Rom. 12:20.

Psalm 65:1-5
1 PRAISE waits for thee in Sion, Lord:
to thee vows paid shall be.
2 0 thou that hearer art of pray’r,
all flesh shall come to thee.
3 Iniquities, I must confess,
prevail against me do:
But as for our transgressions,
them purge away shalt thou.
4 Bless’d is the man whom thou dost chuse,
and mak’st approach to thee,
That he within thy courts, 0 Lord,
may still a dweller be :
We surely shall be satisfy’d
with thy abundant grace,
And with the goodness of thy house,
ev’n of thy holy place.
5 0 God of our salvation,
thou, in thy righteousness,
By fearful works unto our pray’rs
thine answer dost express :
Therefore the ends of all the earth,
and those afar that be
Upon the sea, their confidence,
0 Lord, will place in thee.

Psalm 36:1-7
1 THE wicked man’s transgression
within my heart thus says,
Undoubtedly the fear of God
is not before his eyes.
2 Because himself he flattereth
in his own blinded eye,
Until the hatefulness be found
of his iniquity.
3 Words from his mouth proceeding are,
fraud and iniquity:
He to be wise, and to do good,
hath left off utterly.
4 He mischief, lying on his bed,
most cunningly doth plot:
He sets himself in ways not good,
ill he abhorreth not.
5 Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heav’ns ;
thy truth doth reach the clouds:
6 Thy justice is like mountains great;
thy judgments deep as floods:
Lord, thou preservest man and beast
7 How precious is thy grace !
Therefore in shadow of thy wings
men’s sons their trust shall place.

Psalm 50:17-22
17 Sith thou instruction hat’st,
which should thy ways direct;
And sith my words behind thy back
thou cast’st, and dost reject.
18 When thou a thief didst see,
with him thou didst consent;
And with the vile adulterers
partaker on thou went.
19 Thou giv’st thy mouth to ill,
thy tongue deceit doth frame;
20 Thou sitt’st, and ’gainst thy brother
thy mother’s son dost shame, [speak’st,
21 Because I silence kept,
while thou these things hast wrought;
That I was altogether like
thyself, hath been thy thought:
Yet I will thee reprove,
and set before thine eyes,
In order ranked, thy misdeeds,
and thine iniquities,
22 Now, ye that God forget,
this carefully consider;
Lest I in pieces tear you all,
and none can you deliver.

Psalm 51:8-15
8 Of gladness and of joyfulness
make me to hear the voice;
That so these very bones which thou
hast broken may rejoice.
9 All mine iniquities blot out,
thy face hide from my sin.
10 Create a clean heart, Lord, renew
a right sp’rit me within.
11 Cast me not from thy sight, nor take
thy Holy Sp’rit away.
12 Restore me thy salvation’s joy;
with thy free Sp’rit me stay.
13 Then will I teach thy ways unto
those that transgressors be;
And those that sinners are shall then
be turned unto thee.
14 O God, of my salvation God,
me from blood-guiltiness
Set free; then shall my tongue aloud
sing of thy righteousness.
15 My closed lips, 0 Lord, by thee
let them be opened ;
Then shall thy praises by my mouth
abroad be published.