Sunday Sermons
The Blessings of Forgiveness
“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven”: Psalm 32:1
This Psalm appears to have arisen out of the contrast of the terrible burden of guilt David felt as a result of his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the eventual murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11). It is one of seven penitential psalms(6,32,38,51,102,130,143), and served as a part of the service of the synagogue on the great Day of Atonement. This Psalm may actually be the fulfillment of the promise that David made in Psalm 51:13: “Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee”. This Psalm certainly does stress the point that the life apart from God’s forgiveness is miserable. “David having experienced divine chastening and forgiveness…encouraged others to seek the Lord who deals graciously with sinners. If they refuse submission they will endure chastening” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 818). If we were to outline this Psalm, it would be that forgiven sinners know the peace and joy of being forgiven (32:1-2). Forgiven sinners remember the terrible past burden of unconfessed and unforgiven sin (32:3-5). Forgiven sinners, in their gratitude to God, instruct others out of personal experience (32:6-9).
32:1 “’Happy (how blessed), a more exuberant word than blessed” (Kidner p. 133). The sins “covered” are sins that are “forgiven”. This keeps us from erroneously thinking that “covered” means hiding what is still present and unresolved. Gaebelein notes that “transgression” is an act of rebellion and disloyalty. The word “sin” is an act that misses—often intentionally—God’s expressed and revealed will. The word “iniquity” (32:2) is a crooked or wrong act, often associated with a conscious and intentional intent to do wrong. “The psalmist declares that the forgiveness of sin, of whatever kind—whether against God or man, whether great or small (?), whether conscientious or inadvertent, or whether by omission or commission is to be found in God” (p. 271). “You do not understand the gravity of the most trivial wrong act when you think of it as a sin against the order of Nature, or against the law written on your heart, or as the breach of the constitution of your own nature, or as a crime against your fellows. You have not gotten to the bottom of the blackness until you see that it is a flat rebellion against God Himself” (Boice p. 278).
32:1 The word “forgiven” means to “carry away”, signifying the removal of sin. “It literally means to have our sin ‘lifted off’. Before sin is confessed we bear it like some great burden” (Boice p. 278). Our sins need to be covered in God’s way, not man’s way. “Since Adam, men have tried to hide or conceal their sins from God. Denying, forgetting, concealing, or running from sin will not cover sin” (Southwest Lectures p. 184). 32:2 “In whose spirit there is no deceit!”: “Any idea, however, that we are free to ‘continue in sin that grace may abound’ is firmly excluded by the emphasis on sincerity at the close of our verse”(Kidner p. 133). Note the blessedness of forgiveness is conditioned upon integrity. God knows the heart of a man (Hebrews 4:12-13). This verse should also caution anyone from trying to calculate how he or she can sin and yet keep the fruits of their transgression.
32:3 David had kept silent about his sin for about a year (2 Samuel 11-12). During this time when he was attempting to cover up what he had done, this is what was going on in his life. Those who saw David during this year might not have suspected anything, for the sinner often puts up a good front and a good act. But beneath the surface, these verses reveal the true story. “Even human estrangements can produce this deep unrest of mind and body—and still be doggedly kept up. If David’s symptoms are exceptional, his stubbornness is common enough” (Kidner p. 133). 32:3 “My body wasted away”: Apparently, David experienced a lack of motivation and energy. He felt like an old man, even his physical strength was sapped (32:4). “It seemed as though a withering away of his strength took place, that penetrated into the core of his being” (Leupold p. 267). But our society feels that it can ignore the needs of the soul without suffering any negative side effects in the body. 32:3-4 “My groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me”: What a description of a guilty conscience. Note the internal tensions and conflict that are created when we sin and refuse to repent! Unfortunately, many people try to quiet the voice of conscience by filling their time with superficial activities. “Besides, his wretchedness weighed so heavily upon him that he could not but give expression to it in frequent groans, whether they were audible to others or repressed within his own heart” (Leupold p. 267). 32:4 “My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer”: “How different is his condition from the description of the wise man, likened to a verdant tree (1:3)!” (Gaebelein p. 273). “The picture here is of the summer heat. When the rains are over, the landscape of Israel becomes parched and dry. This is David; he is limp with exhaustion. Unrepentance and unforgiveness bring depression, emotional pain, alienation from God, and physical weakness. It is worth noting that untold millions live in this condition; they even accept it as normal or inevitable”(Williams p. 241).
32:5 When David confessed, he did not hold anything back and neither did he try to justify or downplay the seriousness of his evil behavior (Psalm 51:1ff). Notice the personal choice and motivation that is needed. “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’”. This is much like the language used by the prodigal son (Luke 15:18). The sinner must become so frustrated with himself and so tired of living with a guilty conscience that he or she is determined to come to God, regardless of the cost. 32:5 What a wonderful picture of God! Here is God, standing and waiting for people to come to Him. He wants to bless them, and He wants to forgive them (2 Peter 3:9). But this Psalm also reveals how stubborn man, even a man who was formerly faithful, can be. Look how much people are willing to endure—rather than confess their sins. Look at the price that people are willing to pay to have some feeling of being independent of God! Is it worth it?
32:6 David is the voice of personal experience. The person who truly appreciates their forgiveness is adamant about persuading others to forsake and confess their sins immediately! David is saying, “Don’t repeat the mistake I made!” He addresses the “godly” not to delay when they have been overtaken by sin but to speedily repent and pray for forgiveness. 32:6 “Pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found”: Compare with Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 and Hebrews 3:7. That is, pray when the opportunity for forgiveness still remains, for the day of grace and mercy will not last forever (2 Peter 3:10). In addition, one can also harden himself and reach a point where they might not want to repent (Ephesians 4:19; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 10:26).
32:6-7 “Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him”: This verse seems connected with 32:7. Boice notes, “In verses 3 and 4 David was seen hiding from God, but in verse 7 he is hiding in God and is secure…He who thus seeks Jehovah when He may be found shall not be swept away when His judgments are let loose like a flood a waters upon the earth” (p. 282). 32:7 “Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance”: Notice the tremendous contrast in this chapter of hiding from God, and thus being under God’s condemnation, at then being able to hide in God. God is so willing to bless the sinner, if the sinner will simply acknowledge his or her sins! “Their joy in deliverance expresses itself in joyful shouts as a tribute to God’s fidelity” (Gaebelein p. 274).
32:8 While David is speaking to us, we could also take these verses as God speaking to David and to us as well. He is continuing to teach transgressors the way of God (Psalm 51:13). There is the call here for a teachable and humble spirit. 32:8 “With My eye upon you”: This expression seems to point to God’s vigilant and intimate care (Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 139). It surely suggests that God is never out of touch with our lives or what we are experiencing. As great as forgiveness is, the one who has sinned and been forgiven does not want to repeat the sin or again fall into error but rather wants to go on walking in the right way and so please God. Here is the promise of guidance. The sinner doesn’t have to repeat his folly (2 Peter 2:20-22; Psalm 19)! 32:9 “We are to be responsive to God, obedient to His word, and anxious to walk in His ways” (Williams p. 244). “This vivid picture brings, by its contrasts, the emphasis in verse 8 on intelligent co-operation, which God has set His heart on eliciting from us…for whatever else one can do with a horse one can hardly counsel it, or control it without bringing pressure on it” (Kidner p. 135).
32:10-11 There is a big difference between the lot of the wicked and the lot of the righteous. “The way of the transgressor is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). Many sorrows, painful burdens and difficulties go with the momentary pleasures of sin. Please remember, David is speaking from experience! He had learned the hard way. What did David gain by departing from God, and by doing things his way? Sorrow! He exhorts all believers to rejoice and appreciate their relationship with God. The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence (in fact, there often isn’t any grass), and believers are not in the least sense missing out or deprived!
The Importance of our Forgiveness
Forgiveness outwits Satan: “But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also…so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan” (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). The willingness to forgive undermines Satan’s agenda. Forgiveness promotes humility, mercy, joy, love, obedience and restoration of fellowship, which are all contrary to Satan’s agenda.
There is strength in numbers: (2 Corinthians 2:7; Galatians 6:1). If the sinner remains isolated, chances are they are not going to make it (Hebrews 12:12-13). Forgiveness promotes unity (Amos 3:3).
Forgiveness restores joy: (2 Corinthians 2:7). “God finds no pleasure in an unending or excessive despair. He seeks our joy, not our sorrow” (MacArthur p. 175). Seeing that all heaven rejoices when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7), surely God’s people on earth should participate in that joy.
Forgiveness reaffirms love: (2 Corinthians 2:8). Love will motivate us to withdraw from the unrepentant sinner and love will also motivate us to move towards reconciliation when the sinner repents. True forgiveness should delight in the sinner’s repentance. That is, we really do want to see this person saved, and we really do want to see them in heaven. A willingness to forgive is a willingness to look ahead and see what this person could become if they did repent. In addition, forgiveness keeps love alive, without a willingness to forgive, love cannot survive (1 Corinthians 13:5). “Forgiving love is the inconceivable, unexplained pursuit of the offender by the offended for the sake of restored relationship with God, self, and others” (Bold Love p. 29).
Forgiveness proves our obedience in all things: (2 Corinthians 2:9). MacArthur notes this is one reason why so many modern churches avoid the entire discipline process. “Everything about dealing with sin is difficult. Confronting the sinner privately is hard. Bringing an unrepentant brother’s sin before the church is harder still. But the restoration process can also be extremely hard. Picking up the pieces after the offender has repented, restoring him to the fellowship, strengthening him, is not easy” (p. 177).
Forgiveness answers the question, “Why should I even try?”: (Romans 6:5-7)
Overcoming sin is impossible without forgiveness, for if I can’t be forgiven of something then what is the use of seeking to overcome that sin? It is amazing how one’s life can change once they are given a clean slate and a fresh start. Grace means that it also makes sense to try! The deeper question in many problems is not, “What should I do?”, but rather, “Is there any hope?” Is there any point to obedience, or is despair justified? Does this problem warrant giving up? Forgiveness says that there is always hope.
Forgiveness also understands that at a certain point the offender cannot repay:
Especially when someone wrongs us deeply we need to realize that there really is not payment that would compensate for our loss. “The truth is that very few sinners have the resources to pay for their offenses” (Jeffress p. 51).
