Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

David had a remarkable grasp of the whole issue of sin and forgiveness. That was certainly a good thing, when he blew it so badly in the whole situation with Bathsheba! However, we need to realize that we have just as much need to grasp this issue as he did, because we too are sinners, and it’s not so much a matter of degree as it is a matter of holiness and the lack of it. I don’t think David gained his understanding from a human teacher, and he certainly didn’t gain it in an academic setting. Rather, David as a young boy had a heart that was tender to recognize his sins and acknowledge them to God, and he discovered that God was faithful to forgive. This was what gave him the humility to trust God when he encountered a lion, a bear, and Goliath, as is recorded in 1 Samuel. He didn’t get conceited because of those exploits, but he gained the assurance that God through him could accomplish great things. The point in these two verses that we need to pay most attention to is the line, “in whose spirit is no deceit.” This is expanded in verse 5, but the point is, to be forgiven, we have to acknowledge what we’ve done. Any parent knows this is a major issue, encountering firm denials of things that could have happened no other way. In America there’s the famous story, probably entirely apocryphal, of George Washington as a boy chopping down a cherry tree and then refusing to lie about it. The thing is, though, that it’s not just enough to say, “yes I did it.” Sometimes that is defiance, and sometimes it’s even bragging! What David is talking about is knowing what you have done is wrong and being genuinely sorry for it, not wanting to do it again. That’s called repentance, and it brings forgiveness and restoration.

I have certainly had my own times of repentance, and I can say a hearty AMEN to what David recorded in this Psalm. As a pastor, I seek to help others come to the same understanding, so that they too may lay their burdens of sin down before the Lord and be washed clean. David didn’t even know about the cross, but I have that knowledge and seek to impart it to others. However, to receive the benefit of the cross we have to acknowledge that we need it, so we’re back to what David says here. I encounter so many people who are more concerned with the shame of their deeds that with the fact that they are sins against God. Sometimes public confession can be a powerful tool to liberate people from sin, but the question there becomes how the community receives it. I think most churches would be far more accepting, and forgiving, than even the people in them think they would be. I need to encourage people to confess first to God, and then to other people if He so directs.

Father, this is a big issue. Thank You for the message You’re building in me for Sunday, and for confirming last night that I was hearing You correctly as to the theme. I pray that I would be on the right side of repentance, confession, and forgiveness, not allowing the fear of shame to keep me from it. May I likewise be effective in drawing others to the same position in Christ, so that together we may walk in all that You provided for us through the cross, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!