Good Friday 2026
Notes
Transcript
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
This is the right way to respond to what Jesus did for us when he died on that first Good Friday.
To experience and express the great blessing and joy that comes through all that Jesus has done for us.
Behold the Blessing
Behold the Blessing
The opening word in the first two verses is Blessed. Repeated for emphasis.
The psalmist is keen to impress upon us that what he is describing brings happiness, blessing, joy, gladness. If someone experiences what is being described they will be exceedingly thankful, they will express their joy in praise to God.
So, what could cause us to experience this blessing?
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
There are three words for sin, and three for forgiveness. Each communicates something important.
The words for sin:
Transgression means rebellion against God, choosing my way instead of his.
Sin means missing the mark morally, falling short of God’s holiness.
Iniquity is twisting or distorting the way things should be in God’s world, under his rule.
The words for forgiveness:
Forgiven describes having a burden lifted and taken away - no longer weighing us down.
Covered describes being pardoned, the sin having been put out of sight - no longer speaking against us.
Not counted against us describes being declared not guilty - no longer having anything being charged against our account.
The way that these words are stacked together in these verses is telling us some important things.
The Reality of Sin
The Reality of Sin
With the repeated words for sin, there is an assumption that all are guilty of sin, which is certainly the view of the whole Bible.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
And the rest of this Psalm describes the anguish that the psalmist went through when they tried to cover up their sin, to deny that they had sinner, to hide their sin from God himself.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
It is only when they opened themselves up and confessed the truth that they felt relief and knew this blessing.
So, when they say in v2, “Blessed is the one...in whose spirit is no deceit,” we can understand that to mean that they aren’t lying to themselves, to others, to God, about the reality and seriousness of sin in their lives.
Do you make light of your sin? Is it a naughty secret or a guilty pleasure?
Or are you aware of how your sin is offensive to God?
Are you awake to the reality and seriousness of your own sin?
If so, you need to also understand what these verses are saying about where to find...
The Security of Forgiveness
The Security of Forgiveness
With the repeated words for forgiveness, there comes an overwhelming sense of the reality and seriousness of our sin having being thoroughly dealt with by God himself.
Another Psalm pictures the extent of God’s forgiveness of our sin, saying that:
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Just as the three sin words show the devastating totality of our sin, so the three forgiveness words show the finality of God’s cancelling of our debt to him.
Which means that we can have absolute assurance that if God has forgiven us, we are forgiven indeed! There is nothing left to pay. No outstanding balance. No need to fear judgement or condemnation.
Which surely brings us the best possible kind of...
The Joy of Salvation
The Joy of Salvation
Blessed indeed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered, whose sin the Lord does not count against them!
They know the blessing of liberation, redemption, freedom, forgiveness, pardon, salvation.
Which adds up to unshakeable, immovable joy.
And the message of the whole Bible is that the blessedness of Psalm 32 can only be ours through faith in the cross of Jesus Christ.
But in order to truly know the blessing of the cross we have to...
Consider the Curse
Consider the Curse
How does the death of Jesus make it possible for us to know the blessings of Psalm 32? Of forgiven transgression, covered sins, and being declared not guilty in God’s sight?
The answer can be found by changing the word blessed, to the word cursed, which we find completely changes the meaning when applied to the Lord Jesus.
Cursed is the one
who bears unforgiven transgressions,
who is covered with sin.
Cursed is the one
against whom the Lord counts
the sins of others
but in whose spirit is no deceit.
This now describes Jesus as he was being crucified, suffering not only physical torment and agony, but also the spiritual torment of God’s anger and wrath at sin.
But not his own. Ours.
Isaiah describes it well:
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Truly, Jesus has born our transgressions, he has been covered with our sin, the Lord has counted our sins against him.
He was cursed by God in our place, so that we might know the blessing of true forgiveness.
Even though he was innocent before God, yet he took upon himself the punishment we deserve for our sinful rebellion.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And so the blessings of Psalm 32 can truly be ours by faith in Jesus who died in our place to rescue and redeem us.
Good Friday is a good opportunity to reflect on what Jesus died to achieve.
His death was no accident. It was deliberate - he chose to be cursed, to lay down his life for us, to redeem us and make forgiveness possible.
His death was more than a demonstration of love - the love Jesus has for us compelled him to offer himself as a sacrifice, to be cursed, for our sin, to make atonement possible.
His was death more than a good example of selflessness - the death Jesus died has the power to change our lives in eternity. His curse in death is our blessing for ever.
Which means that what believe about Jesus is the single most important thing when it comes to whether know the blessing of God’s forgiveness, or whether we know the curse of his judgement for our own sin.
Where do you stand with Jesus?
Is he, for you, an interesting historical figure, a good example, a fine teacher, but nothing more?
Do you believe that what is written and claimed about Jesus is pie in the sky, wishful thinking, a nice-sounding story but nothing more?
Or do you believe that Jesus, the innocent Son of God, died in your place in payment for your sin? Will you believe?
If so, yours are the blessings of Psalm 32, won for you by Jesus your Saviour!
You know the reality of sin - the way it devastates our relationship with God.
You know the security of forgiveness in Christ - the assurance of knowing that you are declared not guilty before God.
Yours is the joy of eternal happiness - the promise of everlasting delight in the presence of Jesus.
May we all know and enjoy these blessings this Good Friday, to the glory and praise of Jesus who was cursed to make us blessed.
