THE BEATITUDES OF FORGIVENESS

Psalms 32:1

a. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity."
  • The consensus is:
    1. That this Psalm was written in connection with David's great sin against Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba - 2 Sam. 11:3-21
    2. It sings the happiness of the penitent king for the forgiveness of his transgression
  • It can be, safely, called the Beatitude of Forgiveness:
    1. The knowledge that my sins have been forgiven and that they are under the blood of Jesus brings great joy to my own soul
    2. This is the experience of all truly penitent persons B. The reality of forgiveness
  • The Psalmist views sin under three aspects:
    1. First, he calls it transgression - in it's literal sense that means rending apart, or departure, and so comes to express the notion of apostasy and rebellion
    2. Samuel states the case of sin in three words, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" - 1 Sam. 15:23
    3. The second explanation of sin is missing the mark. Paul declares: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23
    4. Said the handwriting on the wall in Belshazzar's palace, "TEKEL; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." Dan. 5:27
    5. The third name for sin, given by the Psalmist, is iniquity -- that means that is something twisted or distorted -- his conduct is brought into direct contrast with the way of truth and uprightness well know to David -- the head of the nation and in a sense the head of the church; Example: The Pharisees were supposed to be the guardians of mercy and truth, the expositors of the law of God - Mal. 1:614; 2:1-7
  • Three expressions to signify the removal of sin
    1. Sin is here pictured as a burden, lying on the soul. Every sin makes the burden heavier; Examples: Study Romans 7:7-25; Paul came to a point where he carried out in agony of soul, "O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death" - Rom. 7:24. It is to such heavy laden souls that Jesus gives the invitation, "Come unto Me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28-30
    2. Sin is here pictured as an inward pollution which must be removed; again the Psalmist pleads with God, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." - Ps. 51:7
    3. The third most striking expression used by the penitent David is, "I am a debtor over head and ears in debt' but the debt is not charged against me at all." I am guilty, yet the righteous judge, justly pronounces me not guilty - Rom. 8:31-32
    4. The blessedness of forgiveness
  • Let us note the divine condition of forgiveness:
    1. Our confession must be without guile - "In whose spirit is not guile;" Examples: The publican - Luke 18:13; the prodigal - Luke 15:18-21
    2. We must humbly and penitently confess our sins before God, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" - 1 John 1:8-9
  • The blessedness of forgiveness continued:
    1. It is to be noted that the blessedness of a person is his inner life - a clean heart - Matt. 5:8; a heart filled with the peace of God; a merciful heart; read the Beatitudes as recorded in Matt. 5:1-11
    2. "For out of the heart are the issues of life" - Prov. 4:23
  • Note again the threefold nature of the blessedness of forgiveness:
    1. The forgiven soul enjoys the blessedness of deliverance - sin covered, removed, "Thy sin has been taken away" - 2 Sam. 12:13
    2. Read how far the Lord removes our sins - Micah 7:18-19
    3. The forgiveness of sin moves us upon a higher plan of life - Isa. 40:31


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