Psalm 32 - Rejoice, the Weight Has Been Lifted

Introduction - Psalm 51 & 2 Sam. 11

How often do we say or enjoy hearing:

“Bless you”

Have a blessed day

The Lord has truly blessed them...

Have you ever really thought about what it means to be blessed?

1. BLESSED UNION (vv. 1-2)

vv.1-2

“Blessed” - what does it truly mean to be blessed?

How do we determine if we are blessed, if a situation was a blessing, or if God has blessed us in a specific way?

David gives helps us by using very descriptive language to help us understand what it means to be blessed, but we can often time overlook words like…

“transgression is forgiven” -

“transgression” - (Heb) going away

Rom 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

Through the sin of Adam we have all gone away from God. We have been born in a long line those who delight in going their own way.

“forgiven” - (Heb) lifted off

John Bunyan in Pilgrims Progress depicts Christian as carrying a burden on his back until he makes his way to the cross. At the cross Bunyan states, “his buden loosed from his shoulders and fell from off his back and began to tumble, and so continued to do so, till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in and was seen no more.”

So, we could say, “blessed is the one who has turned from God, but has been forgiven. His burden has been taken by Christ as if it were his own.

“sin covered”

“sin” - (Heb) to fall short

Rom 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

There is a standard that God established. He created all of his creatures to glorify him, to radiate his glory, but in our sin we are unable to do that. We have fallen short of the mark.

This is an objective standard. There is no subjectivity in it. You are either in the righteousness of God or not.

“covered”

Covered means just that.

But, it carries a significant religious meaning. The Israelites would have understood the imagery here.

On the Day of Atonement the high priest took blood from a sacrifice into the Most Holy Place.

There it was sprinkled on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

The mercy seat was the lid/covering of the ark.

The presence of God was believed to dwell between the angels wings above the Ark of the Covenant.

Boice - “The blood placed upon the lid of the ark where the law of God was kept symbolized a covering of blood over the broken law and between the presence of God. It thus covered the broken law, shielding the sinner from God’s judgement.“

So, we could say, “blessed is the one who has fallen short of the glory of God, but has been covered by the blood of Jesus.”

“against whom the Lord counts no iniquity”

“Iniquity” - (Heb) corruption

Job responding to his friends who believed his hardship was due to his sin said, Job 13:23 “How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.”

God does not count a persons corruption against a blessed person

“count” - impute

This is an accounting term.

Rom. 4 - Paul explains that Abraham’s blessing was not because he kept the law of God perfectly, but through righteousness of faith.

Rom 4:20 Abraham grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.“That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,”

If you look back at vv.7-8 you will see that Paul is looking to Ps. 32 to show how our sin was given to Christ and his righteousness was given to us.

So, we could say, “blessed is the one whose corruption has been counted against Jesus and his righteousness counted toward them.”

This is the “BLESSED LIFE!” Its being unified to God through Christ.

This union can never be changed, broken, corrupted, or abandoned. If your sin has been covered by the perfect blood of Christ there is nothing that can ever make you unclean again!

2. BLESSED COMMUNION (vv.3-7)

To be blessed by being unified with God is a spiritual truth that will influence your current reality.

Don’t miss this!

Our union with God in Christ is secure, irreversible, we are eternally secure in Christ.

However our communion/fellowship with him can change.

vv.3-4 Broken Fellowship

David shares physical and spiritual effects of his “hidden” sin life.

Charles Spurgeon said, “God does not permit His children to sin successfully.”

John Donne wrote, “Sin is a serpent, and he that covers sin does but keep it warm, that it may sting the more fiercely, and disperse the venom more effectually.”

A. Physical effects (vv. 3 & 4b)

“my bones wasted away”

“groaning all day”

“my strength was dried up”

Charles Simeon - “A soul under the dominion of sin could not be happy, even if it were in heaven: sin would eat his vitals, as does a cancer.”

This shines light on what Paul was saying in 1 Cor. 11:30 when he warned not to partake of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

It is clear that those who have received the blessed union with God in Christ are not meant to remain silent in their sinfulness.

Yes, we will continue to struggle with sin, but we can freely confess to him!

Notice perfection is never implied here, but the attempt to hide ones sin from an all knowing God carries serious and immediate consequences.

B. Spiritual/ Mental Effects (v.4a)

David felt the heavy hand of God. It was as if the one who gave Israel water in the wilderness had dried up for him.

David’s silence was the opposite to what we see from him in Ps. 51.1-3

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”

David’s silence in Ps. 32 was a sign of prideful arrogance.

“When we try and hide our sin it destroys us, but when we confess our sin we are comforted.”

David moves from broken fellowship to restored fellowship.

vv.5-7 Restored Fellowship

David is teaching each of us that our communion with God is directly connected to our confession of sin.

v.5 - “I acknowledged my sin to you”

Something very important is happening here. David, by acknowleding his sin, is resting in the work of God rather than his own efforts.

v.1 - Blessed is the one whose “sin is covered.”

v.5 - “I did not cover my iniquities.”

When we try and hide our sin we are not resting in the work that Christ has accomplished on our behalf.

Ps. 51.12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Though our salvation is secure the joy of our salvation ebbs and flows based on our lives.

confessing sin

killing sin

putting on righteousness

walking in forgiveness - this is where everything hinges.

v.6-7 - David understood that when one is in fellowship with God, his love should be shared with others.

“let everyone” - David moves from himself to teaching others, even us today, of the benefits in unhindered fellowship with God.

Ps. 51.13 “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

David wanted us to understand that God allows/ causes situations in our lives to draw us to him. Don’t miss it!

Child birth

V.7 - In the midst of the difficult times he is our protection (hiding place). He had been for Israel, for David, For the apostles, and he is for us in Christ.

Our Union with God is secure, but our communion with him fluctuates based on our worship of him - so be quick to acknowledge sin and find rest in the Lord.

David moves from explaining how our union with God is secure in Christ, and how our communion with God hinges on our confession of sin, and now he moves to God’s role of teaching us how we should live.

3. BLESSED INSTRUCTION (vv.8-11)

God is now speaking.

He promises teach, or guide his people in the way they should go.

He has done this through his word and Spirit.

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Like the textured pavement on the side of the road. God’s word and his Spirit have been given to guide us in his ways so that we can know what he desires, confess when we fall short of that, and rest in the forgiveness that he has promised.

Friends this is good news!

Rev.22.7 ““And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.””

Ps. 32.9 “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.”

But embrace the perfect love of God, the presence of God, the guiding hand of God, surrounds the one who trusts in him (v.10).

Friends, the one who trusts in the Lord, who confesses when they fall short of his standard has every right to “be glad and rejoice in the Lord!”

Not b/c you are perfect, but because you are truly blessed, you’re forgiven, covered, and free!

V.11 - David believes this news should be responded to with shouting.

To “shout” is to let others hear what you are excited about - to invite others to take part In this wonderful news.

Spurgeon, “God is more willing to forgive than we are to sin.”

John Owen points out, “Union with God is best enjoyed in communion with others.”

Church, let’s rejoice together knowing that we can freely confess our sins, and that the weight of our sin has been carried fully by Jesus.

It is finished - we an have perfect union with God, communion with him, and with one another in Christ.