BLESSED BY FORGIVENESS 

Psalm 32:1-11

December 1, 2024   

     This Psalm is attributed to King David. The psalm is a reflection on the nature of sin, repentance, and forgiveness, and this opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the passage.

     This was written by David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for the death of her husband Uriah. In this context, the themes of forgiveness and repentance take on even greater significance. David had committed grave sins, but he found forgiveness and restoration through his repentance. All who read this Psalm can learn that all sins even the most egregious sins can be forgiven through genuine repentance.

     The word “blessed” indicates a state of happiness, contentment, and well-being. It conveys the idea that someone who has received forgiveness is in a state of great joy and fulfillment. The word “blessed” implies a state of favor and approval from God. When one’s transgressions are forgiven and their sins covered, they are in a right relationship with God. They are the recipients of His grace and mercy, and they are considered blessed by Him.

     The psalmist is speaking about the emotional and spiritual relief that comes with being forgiven and having one’s sins covered. The writer mentioned the words transgression and sin shows the fact that all people are guilty of wrongdoing, but those who seek and receive forgiveness are in a blessed and favored state.

     David knew his sin, and was forgiven and covered. So, David was blessed by forgiveness. How David sin was forgiven?

I – David acknowledged his sin to God – v.5

Psalm 32:5 “I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

     Sin is deceitful.  People in bondage to sin generally fail to acknowledge that the thing they are doing is sin.  

     The verse begins with the acknowledgment of sin. The speaker openly admits their wrongdoing and does not hide their iniquity from God. This demonstrates a willingness to take responsibility for their actions and a desire to be truthful and transparent in their relationship with God. The act of acknowledging sin is the first step towards repentance and reconciliation.

     Jesus said, John 8:32 “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.  You have to be truthful with God about your sin.  The truth is, John 8:34 “Whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin”.  And you have to be honest with God about your sin so that Jesus can free you from the bondage of it.  John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”.

     This expression “I acknowledge my sin unto thee”. Refers to human experience of sin and redemption. It reminds us of the importance of acknowledging our sins. We could not confess our sins and ask God’s forgiveness to find peace if we do not acknowledge our sins. The verse serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of divine forgiveness and the possibility of redemption for those who seek it sincerely.

II – David didn’t hide his sin – v.5

Psalm 32:5 “I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

     David, who is believed to have written this Psalm after his affair with Bathsheba and the subsequent cover-up of his sin. In this context, David grapples with the guilt and shame of his actions. The verse emphasizes the necessity of owning up to one's sins and hiding it not, for the forgiveness of God in order to find peace and restoration.

     People who commit sin often hide their sin from others and, in their minds, from God.  

Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper”. The act of "covering" sins can be seen as a metaphor for attempting to hide or justify our transgressions. This could be through denial, deception, or the refusal to admit wrongdoing. On the other hand, "confessing and forsaking" our sins symbolizes a genuine and humble acknowledgement of our faults, along with a commitment to turn away from sinful behavior.

     It’s typical of people to hide their sin.  This is what David wrote in Psalm 32:2 “Blessed is the man… in whose spirit there is no guile”.  Guile is duplicity.  When a person has doubleness of thought, speech, or action.  A person who has deceptive words and action to achieve his true intentions.  This person is maintaining carefully by his “appearance” in righteousness while in real life he is living in sin.  

    Psalm 32:1 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” It means David sin is not covered by the Lord but it is hidden and covered by the sinner himself.

III – David confessed his transgressions to the Lord – v.5

Psalm 32:5 “I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

     David life was miserable before he confessed his sin.  He said, Psalm 32:3-4 “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long, ⁴ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”

     It is a warning for all those who cover up their sins are unlikely to prosper in the long run, while those who confess and forsake their sins will receive mercy. David viewed his sin what God viewed it and David sincerely confessed it to the Lord. 

     John writes exactly the instruction for us to do, I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Why? Because Christ is our propitiation, I John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

David was blessed by forgiveness as David wrote, Psalm 32:5 “thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin”. 

     When we confess our sins, God is also faithful and just, I John 1:9 “to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.  

When we confess our sins before God, our sins covered and cleansed by the blood of Christ. And once we are cleansed and forgiven we have now a clean slate. David wrote, Psalm 32:2 “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity”.

IV – David forsook his sin and followed the Lord, instead – v.8

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

     David didn’t stop with his confession.  David changed direction.  David started following the Lord.  The Lord said, Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye”

     We see here the psalmist's confidence in God's ongoing guidance and support in the aftermath of repentance and forgiveness. The verse has a promise from God to instruct, teach, and guide His people. The verse is an expression of God's loving care and guidance for His followers.

     David became “godly”, Psalm 32:6 “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.”

     Notice the phrase "surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him," uses the imagery of floods and great waters to symbolize the trials, challenges, and catastrophes of life. In this context, "the floods of great waters" represent the overwhelming and tumultuous circumstances that can threaten to engulf and overwhelm the righteous. However, the psalmist proclaims with confidence that the godly will be kept safe and protected from harm, even in the midst of great turmoil and adversity. The psalmist proclaims with confidence that the godly will be kept safe and protected from harm, even in the midst of great turmoil and adversity.

     Proverbs 28:13, “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”.  You have to leave sin alone and start going in the way that the Lord instructs you, teaches you, and guides you.  We must leave in in the past and start walking in godliness.  

     You have to trust the Lord in this, Psalm 32:10 “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.” The verse emphasizes the consequences of trusting in the Lord versus living a wicked and unrepentant life. The word "sorrows" here can be understood as a broad range of suffering and distress that the wicked will face.

     This verse serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the importance of placing our trust in Him.

     Notice David writes, "but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about." Here, the focus shifts to the faithful, who choose to place their trust in God. The word "mercies" here can be understood as kindness, compassion, and forgiveness from God. The picture which says we are "compassed about" by mercy means the faithful will be surrounded and protected by God's love and grace.

IV – David rejoiced and shouted for joy – v.11

Psalm 32:11 “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”

     The context of Psalms 32:11 is believed to have been written by David after he confessed and repented of his sin with Bathsheba. In 2 Samuel 11-12, we read the story of David's adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. After being confronted by the prophet Nathan, David confesses his sin and experiences the forgiveness and restoration of God. Psalms 32 emphasizes the deep sense of relief and joy that David experienced as a result of God's mercy and forgiveness.     

     Both “joy” and “gladness” in Psalms 32:11 is closely tied to the themes of righteousness, forgiveness, and repentance that run throughout the entire psalm. The psalm begins with the declaration, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1). The psalmist goes on to describe the anguish and guilt that comes from trying to hide sin, and the freedom and joy that comes from confessing and repenting of it. The psalm is ultimately a celebration of the mercy and grace of God, and the joy that comes from being in right relationship with Him.      

     The trouble with some Christians is that they live continually with regret and shame for their past.  Get over this.  The Lord has forgiven you, your sin is covered, and he does not impute iniquity to you.  Leave the past in the past.

     When you are righteous and upright in heart, be glad, rejoice, and shout for joy.  If you are still wallowing in the sins of your past, you have either not left them in the past or you have not begun to rejoice in the fact that you are free and cleansed.  When Jesus forgives you and cleanses you, you are not what you were.  You are a new creature in Christ.

     Now, if God had forgiven you we have to forgive others also – Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

 

Conclusion: My friend, if you have never been forgiven and sure will go to heaven, get saved. And if you are saved, but you are covering, hiding your sin, repent and forsake now your sin. And if you are a Christian, forgiven from all your sins and cleansed by the blood Christ, saved by God’s grace, but still hanging on the past, let it go, acknowledge your sin, don’t hide it, confess it and forsake it, then follow God. Then you will have joy and gladness to live in righteousness. You are blessed by forgiveness.