The Joy of Forgiveness
Summer of Psalms • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Summer of Psalms
Text: Psalm 32
Perhaps, to many of you this morning, my next statement will be obvious.
My wife, Angie, is a pianist.
And, I’m not sure if you know this, but being married to a pianist means moving her instrument is monumental.
This is not like being married to a flutist. A flutist can carry their own instrument wherever they want with relative ease.
A pianist, on the other hand, needs help moving that thing.
When I married Angie, I didn't realize I was committing to move pianos for the rest of my life. That's a burden I was never meant to bear.
This is why I bought her a very nice and very portable electronic keyboard.
Speaking of burdens we were not meant to bear, sin is the biggest one.
Many people believe the greatest burden they carry is stress, anxiety, disappointment, or difficult circumstances.
David tells us there is a heavier burden than all of those—the burden of unconfessed sin.
Psalm 32 is David's testimony that the freest people in the world are not those who have never sinned.
They are those whose sins have been forgiven.
David has lived on both sides of confession. He knows the misery of hiding his sin and the joy of bringing it into God's light.
Today he invites us to learn from his experience rather than repeat his mistakes.
David writes Psalm 32 as a testimony.
Most scholars believe he is looking back on his sin with Bathsheba after God restored him.
Psalm 51 records his confession during the crisis.
Psalm 32 records what he learned after the restoration.
This isn't theory. This is David telling us what God taught him when he finally stopped hiding.
Main Idea: The Joy of Forgiveness Is Found on the Other Side of Confession.
Why does confession lead to such great joy?
David answers this question by inviting us into one of the darkest seasons of his life.
As he reflects on his own experience, he traces the path from the misery of hidden sin to the joy of restored fellowship with God.
Along the way, he shows us five reasons why confession is always worth it.
1. Forgiveness Brings the Greatest Blessing (vv. 1–2)
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Forgiveness is amazing. It is a covering of fault. It is a removal of regret.
David does something interesting and reminiscent of Psalm 1.
In Psalm 1, David says,
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Here in Psalm 32 David says the Blessed on is the one who is forgiven.
Think of it this way…
Psalm 1:
Blessed is the obedient man.
Psalm 32:
Blessed is the forgiven man.
Together they teach:
The truly blessed life is found in relationship with God.
The word, Blessed or 'ashrê
The word carries the idea of deep happiness, flourishing, or the enviable condition of someone who enjoys God's favor.
'Ashrê is actually plural in form.
The Hebrew word is ashrê. It describes deep happiness and flourishing under God's favor. Interestingly, it's plural in form, emphasizing the fullness of God's blessing.
The plural form emphasizes the richness and fullness of God's blessing.
The plural form could be translated - "Oh how very blessed is the man..."
The point is simple. The one who is forgiven is blessed beyond what they could hope for.
If there is such blessing associated with being forgiven, we should probably understand what it means to be forgiven.
David uses three words to describe our problem.
Transgression (פֶּשַׁע, peshaʿ) – Willful rebellion against God. This is more than making a mistake. It describes crossing a line that God has clearly established. It is open rebellion against His authority.
Sin (חַטָּאָה, ḥaṭṭā'â) – Missing God's perfect standard. The word literally carries the idea of "missing the mark," like an archer whose arrow falls short of the target. We fail to live up to God's holy standard.
Iniquity (עָוֹן, ʿāwōn) – Our crookedness or moral corruption. While "transgression" emphasizes rebellion and "sin" emphasizes falling short, "iniquity" points to the twisted nature of sin and the guilt it produces.
THEN
He uses three descriptions of God's grace.
Forgiven (נָשָׂא, nāśāʾ) – Lifted away or carried off. This is a beautiful picture. The burden of guilt is removed from our shoulders. God takes away the weight of our sin.
Covered (כָּסָה, kāsâ) – Covered from judgment. God does not ignore our sin; He deals with it. Through His grace, our guilt is covered so it no longer stands against us. The sacrifices of the Old Testament anticipated the day when Christ would fully and finally cover our sin by His death on the cross.
(Not) Counted (חָשַׁב, ḥāshab) – To reckon, credit, or charge to someone's account. David is saying that God no longer charges our sin against us.
Paul later quotes these very verses in Romans 4 to explain the doctrine of justification by faith. God no longer holds our guilt against us because it has been dealt with by His grace.
David concludes by describing the forgiven person as someone in whose spirit there is no deceit.
In other words, he has stopped pretending before God.
David isn't using these words randomly. There is a beautiful pattern in these opening verses.
Notice that he uses three words to describe our sin:
Transgression — We have rebelled against God's authority.
Sin — We have fallen short of God's perfect standard.
Iniquity — We are guilty and corrupted by our sin.
David is showing us the full extent of our problem. Every angle of our guilt is exposed.
We are rebels who have missed God's standard, and our hearts have been stained by sin.
But notice what follows.
For every description of our sin, David gives a corresponding description of God's grace.
Our transgression is forgiven—the burden has been lifted away.
Our sin is covered—our guilt is no longer exposed before God.
Our iniquity is not counted against us—our debt has been removed from our account.
What a beautiful picture of the gospel!
God doesn't forgive only part of our problem.
His grace answers every dimension of our guilt.
Every stain is covered. Every burden is lifted. Every debt is canceled.
No wonder David begins this psalm with the word "Blessed."
The happiest person in the world is not the one who has never sinned—that person doesn't exist.
The truly blessed person is the one whose every sin has been met by the abundant grace of God.
Listen to Paul’s words on the subject.
…just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Finding and marrying Angie was an amazing blessing in my life.
Watching my three children be born and holding them in my arms was also an unbelievable treasure I received.
Having all of my grandchildren in the same room laughing, playing, and being crazy is a joy beyond words.
But the greatest blessing I have ever received or will ever receive is being forgiven by God
Before the Throne of God Above
2. When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me,
To look on him and pardon me.
Christian, your biggest problem is solved. You are forgiven!
Not because you deserve forgiveness, but because God graciously offers it to you.
If you are walking in depression, discouragement, fear, temptation, whatever burden you are carrying today, spend some time meditating on the beautiful truth that you, because you are in Christ, are forgiven!
Forgiveness brings immense joy to the soul.
David has shown us the blessing of forgiveness.
Now he's going to tell us what life looked like before he experienced that blessing.
Hidden sin doesn't bring freedom…
2. Concealed Sin Produces Crushing Misery (vv. 3–4)
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
Christian, have you ever felt like David does in these verses?
Bones wasting away
Groaning all the day
The heavy hand of God’s conviction
The heat was pretty hot this week. Oppressive at times.
But have you felt the heat of God’s righteous judgment on your sinful heart?
I’ve had seasons where I have felt this way and I am grateful for God’s hand of rebuke in my life.
He loved me way to much to allow me to travel down the road of the deceitfulness of sin and instead pulled me out of the mire of my passions and put my feet back on the rock of His love and grace.
This powerful poetic imagery is one that was born out of David’s massive indiscretion with Bathsheba.
If you are not familiar…
David saw Bathsheba, lusted after her, and took what was not his to take.
When she became pregnant, he tried to cover his sin with deception.
When deception failed, he arranged the death of her husband, Uriah, and then went on living as though nothing had happened.
But God saw what David tried to hide.
And for months, the king who ruled a nation was being crushed by the sin ruling his own heart.
This is the thing about sin.
Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.
His affair with Bathsheba lasted a moment, but the consequences touched his family, his kingdom, and his heart for years to come.
The Bible is clear about this…
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
…be sure your sin will find you out.
David says,
"Day and night Your hand was heavy upon me."
The writer of Hebrews explains why.
"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves..."
God allows us to wallow in our sin and the affects of our sin until we turn to the only one that can do anything about it — God Himself.
God wants us to turn to Him so that He can heal us and make us more like Jesus!
Many times we hear about the dramatic conversion story when someone is a dirty rotten sinner and God comes in and transforms them into a child of God — a life is changed.
But what about those times when God gets a hold of the heart of a believer and convicts him or her of sin and brings them to a deeper level of spiritual growth?
As a biblical counselor, I have a front row seat to see lives changed through the power of His Word when it is applied to the lives of Christians who have fallen into sin, but then God lovingly restores them and empowers them a fresh to walk with Him.
Christians still sin. Christians still struggle. Christians get themselves off track and it is by God’s beautiful longsuffering grace and kindness that leads them back through repentance.
That is exactly what happened with David. Showing God’s kindness in forgiveness is why he penned this Psalm.
Certainly. This would fit well as a transition into David's repentance in Psalm 32.
For months, David lived with the crushing weight of hidden sin.
From the outside, it appeared that life had returned to normal.
Bathsheba had become his wife.
The child was on the way.
The kingdom continued to function. But God had not forgotten.
In His mercy, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront the king.
Rather than accusing David outright, Nathan told him a story.
He described a wealthy man who owned many sheep and cattle and a poor man who possessed only one little ewe lamb.
That lamb was more than livestock—it was like a member of the family.
When a traveler came to visit, the rich man refused to take one of his own animals to prepare a meal.
Instead, he stole the poor man's beloved lamb and served it to his guest.
David's sense of justice burned with righteous anger.
He declared that the man deserved to die and should repay the lamb fourfold because he had acted so heartlessly.
Then Nathan spoke one of the most piercing statements in all of Scripture:
"You are the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7)
In that moment, David realized the story was about him. He had taken another man's wife.
He had abused the authority God had entrusted to him. He had tried to cover his sin with deception and murder.
God lovingly crushed David! But he wouldn’t leave him there.
What sin are you hiding? What burden are you carrying?
Perhaps it's an immoral relationship, an addiction you've convinced yourself you can control, or pornography that no one else knows about.
Maybe it's dishonesty—lying, cheating, or deceiving others to protect your reputation.
Perhaps it's bitterness toward someone who hurt you years ago, and you've refused to forgive.
Or it's pride that refuses to admit you're wrong, or a critical spirit that tears others down.
Maybe you've allowed anger to take root, and it's affecting your marriage, your family, or your relationships.
Or it's greed, envy, or the constant pursuit of money and possessions instead of Christ.
Or it's gossip you've justified as "sharing a concern," or words you've spoken that have wounded others.
Or it's spiritual apathy. You know your heart has grown cold. You've neglected God's Word, abandoned prayer, and drifted from close fellowship with Him.
Or perhaps your sin isn't obvious to anyone else. It's hidden deep within your heart. Jealousy. Covetousness. Selfish ambition. An unforgiving spirit. A love for this world that has slowly replaced your love for Christ.
Whatever it is, don't keep carrying what Christ died to forgive.
David tried hiding his sin, and it nearly crushed him.
God isn't calling you to confess your sin because He wants to shame you. He's calling you to confess because He wants to restore you.
The joy of forgiveness is found on the other side of confession.
And confession is what David addresses next…
3. Honest Confession Opens the Door to Joy (v. 5)
Verse 5 is the turning point of the entire psalm.
Everything changes here.
For months David had carried the debilitating weight of concealed sin. Every morning he woke with the same burden.
Every evening he lay down with the same guilty conscience.
His fellowship with God had been broken.
His joy had disappeared.
His strength had dried up.
He had learned that hidden sin is a miserable companion.
Then, in one of the greatest acts of mercy in David's life, God sent the prophet Nathan.
Nathan didn't arrive to humiliate David.
He came to rescue him.
Confronted with his sin, David had a choice.
He could continue defending himself, or he could humble himself before the Lord.
By God's grace, he chose humility.
He later summarized that moment in these simple but life-changing words:
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
Notice the change.
For months David had worked tirelessly to cover his own sin.
Now he stopped covering it.
He uncovered it before God.
There is a beautiful irony in this verse.
David stopped trying to cover his sin, and God covered it.
David stopped carrying his guilt, and God lifted it away.
David stopped defending himself, and God became his defender.
David confessed and God declared him forgiven
Confession is not bargaining with God.
It is not informing God of something He doesn't already know.
It is not trying to earn forgiveness through enough tears or enough regret.
Biblical confession is agreeing with God about our sin.
It is coming honestly before Him without excuses, blame-shifting, or self-justification.
It is saying, "Lord, You are right. I have sinned against You."
What happened next is almost breathtaking in its simplicity.
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
No hesitation.
No reluctance.
No probationary period.
David confessed.
God forgave.
The burden that had crushed him for months was lifted in a moment by the grace of God.
That doesn't mean the consequences disappeared.
David would continue to live with many painful consequences of his choices.
Forgiveness does not erase every earthly consequence of sin.
But forgiveness does restore fellowship with God.
The relationship that had been strained was renewed.
The joy that had been lost returned.
The peace that had been missing flooded back into David's heart.
This is why confession is such a gift from God.
He does not call us to confess because He delights in exposing our failures.
He calls us to confess because He delights in restoring His children.
The God who lovingly convicts is the same God who joyfully forgives.
The hand that was heavy in discipline becomes the hand that lifts the burden away.
That is the journey David wants every believer to experience.
The joy of forgiveness is found on the other side of confession.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Thomas Watson, the Puritan pastor, wrote, "Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet."
I think that's exactly what David is teaching us. As long as we minimize our sin, excuse our sin, or hide our sin, we'll never fully appreciate the sweetness of God's forgiveness.
But when the bitterness of our rebellion drives us to honest confession, we discover just how gracious and merciful our God really is.
Whatever sin you are struggling with, confess it to the Lord and allow him to wash you clean again and lead you into paths of righteousness.
4. Forgiven People Find Safety in God's Presence (vv. 6–7)
David's testimony now becomes an invitation.
Notice how the psalm changes.
Until now, David has been talking primarily about himself.
"I kept silent."
"I acknowledged my sin."
"I confessed."
But now he turns outward.
Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
David has learned something so wonderful that he doesn't want anyone else to miss it.
He is essentially saying,
"Don't make the mistake I made. Don't wait months to confess your sin. Seek the Lord while your heart is tender and while He may be found."
That phrase has caused some confusion.
David is not suggesting that God becomes unwilling to forgive after a certain date on the calendar.
Rather, he is urging us not to ignore God's gracious invitation while He is calling us to repentance.
Delayed repentance only prolongs unnecessary pain.
In the MSB it gives some helpful understanding.
David slips right back into teaching mode in this verse, emphasizing that every person who knows the grace of God should not presume upon that grace by putting off confession. - MSB
MacArthur, John, Jr., ed. 1997. The MacArthur Study Bible. Electronic ed. Nashville, TN: Word Pub.
Then David makes one of the most beautiful statements in the entire psalm.
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
Think about the irony.
For months David tried to hide from God.
Now David finds safety in God.
The very One he feared has become the One who protects him.
That is the miracle of grace.
The Judge has become his refuge.
Notice all the promises David piles together.
"You preserve me from trouble."
"You surround me with shouts of deliverance."
The man who was once surrounded by guilt is now surrounded by songs.
The man who was crushed by conviction is now protected by God's presence.
What a transformation the grace of God produces.
David's words remind us of the invitation found in Isaiah 55:6
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
God delights in being found by those who seek Him with humble hearts.
The prophet Nahum declares,
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
Likewise, Proverbs 18:10 reminds us,
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Throughout Scripture, God is consistently presented as the refuge of His people.
When storms threaten along the shoreline, boats don't stay exposed on the open water if they can help it.
They head for the harbor.
The harbor doesn't remove the storm.
It provides safety in the middle of it.
That is exactly what David has found.
Forgiveness didn't eliminate every consequence of his choices.
His family would still experience heartache.
His kingdom would still feel the effects of his sin.
But David no longer faced those struggles alone.
He had found shelter in the presence of God.
Where do you run when life becomes overwhelming?
Some people run toward entertainment.
Others toward work.
Some run toward money.
Others toward food, alcohol, pornography, or endless distractions.
David learned that there is only one true refuge.
The safest place in the universe is the presence of God.
The God who forgives sinners also shelters them.
Whatever storm you're facing today, don't run from Him.
Run to Him!!!
He is still the hiding place for everyone who belongs to Him.
Having experienced God's forgiveness and discovered God's protection, David cannot keep silent any longer.
The psalm that began with blessing now ends with celebration.
The forgiven heart becomes the joyful heart.
5. Walking with God Leads to Lasting Joy (vv. 8–11)
David closes the psalm with words of encouragement and instruction.
Whether verses 8–9 are spoken by God or by David speaking on God's behalf, the message is unmistakable:
Forgiveness is not the end of the journey—it is the beginning of a restored walk with God.
Notice the progression.
God doesn't simply forgive David and send him on his way.
He says,
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
What a gracious promise!
The God who forgives us also guides us.
The God who restores us also teaches us how to walk faithfully.
Then comes a warning.
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.
A horse or mule has no understanding. It must be forced, pulled, and restrained before it will go where its master desires.
David says, "Don't live like that."
How often are we like stubborn mules?
God gently speaks through His Word, but we refuse to listen.
He nudges our conscience, yet we resist.
Eventually, He must use stronger measures to get our attention.
David knows exactly what that feels like.
He had experienced the heavy hand of God's loving discipline.
Now he urges us to learn from his mistake instead of repeating it.
Verse 10 presents a striking contrast.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Earlier in the psalm, David said that God surrounded him with songs of deliverance.
Now he says God's steadfast love surrounds those who trust Him.
What once surrounded David?
Guilt.
Fear.
Silence.
Now he is surrounded by God's gracious love.
The psalm ends exactly where it should.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Notice that David doesn't simply tell us to be glad.
He tells us to be glad in the Lord.
Our joy is not rooted in easy circumstances.
David's life was still complicated.
His family would still experience painful consequences.
But David's relationship with God had been restored.
That changed everything.
True joy isn't found in a trouble-free life.
It is found in a right relationship with God.
Jesus said,
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
The forgiven believer learns to follow the Shepherd's voice willingly rather than resisting Him stubbornly.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
The source of our joy has never been our circumstances.
It has always been the Lord Himself.
Likewise, Psalm 16:11 declares,
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Walking with God has always been the pathway to lasting joy.
Every loving parent wants something deeper than outward obedience.
We don't want children who obey only because they're afraid of punishment.
We long for children who trust us, love us, and willingly follow our instruction because they know we desire what is best for them.
Our heavenly Father desires the same relationship with us.
He is not interested in dragging His children through life with a bit and bridle.
He delights in sons and daughters who gladly walk beside Him because they trust His heart.
Are you walking with God today, or are you resisting Him?
Are you listening for His voice through His Word, or are you waiting for Him to pull you back through His hand of discipline?
David's life reminds us that stubbornness always leads to sorrow.
Trust always leads to steadfast love.
Christian, don't settle for merely being forgiven.
Walk with the God who forgave you.
Listen when He teaches.
Follow when He leads.
Trust Him when life is difficult.
Rejoice in Him every day.
The greatest evidence that we have experienced God's forgiveness is not simply that we look back to a moment of confession.
It is that we continue walking with Him today.
Conclusion
Throughout this psalm, David has shown us one unforgettable truth:
The joy of forgiveness is found on the other side of confession.
Every one of us will leave here carrying one of two burdens.
We will either continue carrying the weight of hidden sin, or we will walk in the freedom that comes from God's forgiveness.
The choice we make will shape our fellowship with God this week.
This week, don't ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction.
If God has placed His finger on an area of your life this morning, don't justify it.
Don't minimize it.
Don't hide it.
Confess it.
Bring it into the light before your heavenly Father, and experience again the joy that only He can give.
When David tried to hide his sin, it nearly crushed him.
When David hid himself in God, he found forgiveness, refuge, guidance, and joy.
The same invitation that David received is extended to us today.
Don't keep carrying what Christ died to forgive.
Lay the burden down.
Run to Christ.
The God whose hand is heavy in loving conviction is the very same God whose arms are open wide to receive every repentant sinner.
Don't keep carrying what Christ died to forgive.
