“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Psalm 32:1-2 (Read Psalm 32:1-6)
Have you ever considered what a blessing it is to have God’s forgiveness and not have the LORD hold your sins and iniquities against you? To be forgiven by the LORD removes all fear of wrath and condemnation and gives us peace with God. Having God’s forgiveness for all our sins assures us of life everlasting and communion with Him.
Indeed, the one who admits his sins and looks to the LORD for mercy rather than attempting to hide and cover up his sins is blessed because the LORD, for the sake of Jesus’ holy life and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross, is merciful and gracious and offers us forgiveness for all our sins.
The Bible tells us “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures … that he was buried … that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3,4). And because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, the Bible tells us: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Psalm 86:5).
So what about you? Do you have God’s forgiveness, or are you attempting to hide and cover up your sins? Are you justified by God or trying to justify yourself? Are you self-deceived — filled with guile — and refusing to acknowledge your sinfulness, or do you admit your utter sinfulness and look to God for mercy and forgiveness?
David wrote in Psalm 32:3-4: “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.”
What happens when we remain silent about our sins and refuse to repent instead of looking to God for mercy? God’s hand is heavy upon us. We feel the guilt and weight of our sins. Our moisture — our vitality, our joy — evaporates away like in the drought of summer.
But David then wrote: “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).
John also writes in 1 John 1:8-9: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And this is because “Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1,2).
David continues in Psalm 32:6: “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.”
To receive God’s pardon and forgiveness, those who are godly will pray now, before it’s too late, before the floods of God’s judgment overflow them. And those who do acknowledge and confess their sins and look to the LORD God for mercy for the sake of Jesus’ blood, shed upon the cross for the sins of all, will receive God’s mercy and forgiveness and life everlasting!
O LORD God, I have sinned in my thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. I have failed to live in accordance with Your holy commandments. Have mercy on me and forgive my sins for the sake of the perfect sacrifice of the Son, Jesus Christ, in my stead. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]