For Such A Time As This 2
For Such A Time As This
The Second Penitential Psalm
Psalm 32
March 15, 2000
Blessed! Were you aware that there are two Hebrew words that translate to the English word blessed? In their Hebrew form they of course have two different meanings. The words are barak and ashar. Barak has to do with that which God places upon his creation. It serves as a benediction of grace to his people. Ashar on the other hand comes from a root meaning “to walk straight.” The general idea of the word is the happiness a person has who walks straight. For example: in Psalm 1 it says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight [happiness] is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
Ashar is the word that appears at the beginning of Psalm 32. “Blessed [happy] is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count [impute] against him and in whose spirit is no deceit [guile].” The basic sense of these two verses is this: the person who openly and rightly confesses his sin is happy because he is forgiven, sin is covered with divine righteousness, and God’s record of sin for this individual has been expunged of all wrongdoing and rebellion. Because of this that blessed and happy person has a clear conscience regarding sin, because he is not under law but grace.
But look at what happens to a person who tries to hide his sin. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.”
Now, let’s pause for a moment to consider our own position with respect to these words. Remember how King David had committed adultery, then tried to cover it up with deceit and eventual murder? It was not until his conscience had been stirred that he could release himself from his own deceit. It is as though David wants to say, when I tried to hide my guilt and sin, my whole life seemed to be slipping away. Well, there is good reason why David or anyone else would feel that way. Sin destroys real life. It destroys God’s word and work in us. That, my friends, is a pretty serious matter. God does not take sin lightly as we are prone to do, like David.
Thank God that His Word of truth, in the form of law, stirs our conscience and convicts us for what we are: sinners, detestable before a righteous and holy God, beings, unworthy of even a second glance.
Oh sure, there are those who think they have done what is required by God. Consider the ten commandments. How many times do we hear statements like, I have never committed adultery, or stolen someone’s property, or killed anyone. Unfortunately, anyone who holds a grudge is committing murder. Anyone who looks upon a woman with lust, commits adultery. Anyone who maligns another persons reputation commits sin against the eighth commandment. And yet, like David, these people might very well say, “I love God.” Really! Should we take God’s vote on this? What does He say of such, “Do not be like a horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.” There is no peace of mind or heart that is forthcoming from sin, any sin.
It’s like this: when we feel God’s hand heavy upon us, it’s hard to catch one’s breath. However, it is also a time when God may be found. He is close at hand. Therefore let the adulterer confess his adultery. Let the murderer confess his murder. Call your sin what God calls it, and be happy, like David who says: “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity [guilt]. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” You see, the spirit of man with no deceit does not simply comply with external religious acts. Those acts mean nothing to God apart from true heartfelt remorse for sin, and a desire to be free from that sin.
God makes Himself available to us through our conscience and more importantly through His Word. When He does this to show us our sin, and we respond in repentant sorrow and faith, a most wonderful and awesome thing occurs. The guilt of sin is removed. Our conscience becomes clear. The power of our troubles, dissolve and we receive a most wonderful sense of divine protection and deliverance. David rejoices in God upon his confession, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
No wonder David appears so ecstatic as he releases his heart in this song to God. “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven.” Blessed is he “whose sins are covered.” “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him.” And blessed is the one “in whose spirit is no deceit.”
Happy, indeed, are we who rejoice in the Lord’s work in us and among us. That work shields us with His own righteousness. It covers us with grace, and anoints us with the healing balm of His favorable presence. My friends, that makes me pretty happy. Happy for myself, and happy for you.
We are at the eve of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. And today we can celebrate the awesome steadfastness of God’s love toward us. It is for such a time as this. Amen.
