David begins this Psalm with a joyful note. He writes Vs 1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered.
Here we see a happy man, a relieved man, an undeserving man, and a thankful man. He is all these things because he has been giving what he does not deserve namely, the forgiveness of his transgression and the covering of his sin. What David deserves was judgment and a lengthy sentence for his crimes, but he finds mercy at the end of the hammer. David considers himself to be blessed because his transgression is forgiven and his sin is covered.
How many Christians consider themselves to be blessed when they have been forgiven from sin which is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature, (Grudem). How many are in this state of gratitude that they are blessed because their sins have been covered and their transgressions forgiven? Not many because they are not sensible to the true horror of not being forgiven and remaining under condemnation which is the state of all unbelievers. This horror is great indeed!
Death levels all in the human realm, that is in the courts and among friends and enemies. If a person decides not to forgive someone until their death, then death will cut off their hatred and the individual that is not forgiven, even though they feel guilt and were punished, these instruments will only last until their death. But it is not so with God. If God decides not to forgive someone, that unforgiveness will last for eternity and the unforgiven person will never escape either their guilt and punishment. It is everlasting!
Any anguish of the soul that they felt was horrific in this life will not compare to that eternity being in God’s disfavor and displeasure. The wrath of the lamb is awful enough on his return but even worse is the wrath of the whole trinity in hell upon the sons of disobedience. Jesus offered such warnings to his contemporaries when he said to them, ‘And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.’ But this fell on many deaf ears. Just consider Judas!
This is why David considers the forgiven man to be blessed. Oh, how happy David was that God has forgiven him for his transgression that he committed against Bathsheba. He was happy because he can be at peace with God. He can come again to the throne and bask in the delight of God’s presence. This staying away had rotted his soul, had made him extremely miserable because a heart that truly loves God can only play the hypocrite for a while and then after, the Spirit inside him brings him to such a grieved state that unless he knows that he is forgiven then he is sure to commit suicide because it becomes unbearable.
The blessedness continues in verse 2. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity. It is not blessed enough for his transgression to be forgiven or his sin to be covered, but God no longer counts his iniquity or any of his iniquities against him. He is completely forgiven and fully justified. No wrongdoing will bring the wrath of God on him as to send him to hell. He can come fully to the entrance of meeting and offer his gift. He can approach the throne because there he will find grace. He will find comfort.
It is written that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and will forgive us. Only unbelief lingers with the burden of guilt. Only unbelief stays in the mire. True faith weeps over one’s own sins and then turns to God for deliverance. In fact, he not only turns but accepts God at his word that all who turn to him through his Son are forgiven. It is said that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This is why God no longer counts the iniquity of the blessed man against him because in Christ the blessed man has become the righteousness of God. He is clothed in the beauty of Jesus. He wears his clothes! When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming towards him, Jesus said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” It is not that Nathaniel did not have his fault because surely, he was a sinner, but that he was honest about it. He was no hypocrite. So is the blessed man. Knowing that you are forgiven by God does not mean that we start saying that we have no sin. That is deceitful. Yes, we do have sin but it is forgiven in Christ Jesus and we live a daily life of repentance. It is important to confess our sins because Vs 3 when David kept silent, his bones wasted away through his groaning all day long.
The wicked are perhaps not blessed to have such a godly grief afflict their soul. Rather than living comfortably in his sin, and living on his life as if there was no enmity between him and God, David’s bone wasted away. The guilt of his transgression will not let him rest. God has broken his bones; He has made his flesh and skin waste away. His groaning comes from his wandering dissatisfied heart. This happens all day long!
O saint of Christ, what heavy burden weighs you down? Search deep in your heart and find the sin. Find the awful wickedness that you have committed that grieves the Spirit. As long as the Spirit in you is grieving, you will grieve too. You can kiss joy and happiness good bye. Wave it adieu because Vs4 for day and night His hand will be heavy upon you; your strength will dry up as by the heat of summer.
Woe are they whom the Lord has removed his hand. The Spirit has departed from them and ceased his work of conviction. They are left in the futility of their sins. In fact, they are so hardened that they call good evil and evil good. They have simply been given over to reap the fruits of their ways. But it is not so with God’s beloved. Many saints go to heaven in sorrow. They do not know the bliss that comes from righteous living. It is only when the mortal is swallowed up by the immortal do they first taste consistently the joy of their salvation. O dear saint, cast of your old clothes and put on Christ. You can enjoy sweet fellowship with the Spirit by setting your mind on the things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
You can cease your languishing! David Vs 5 acknowledged his sin to God, and he did not cover his iniquity; He said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” O, say it right now sorrowful saint. Say it! Be on your knees and dare not look to heaven, but prostrate yourself on the floor and in humility cry out, have mercy on me!
O cry it out because your soul is in anguish. Let your prayer match your emotions. Acknowledge your sin, acknowledge it! There are many at this moment who stand in condemnation that will not acknowledge their sin to the Lord. They know it not that they are in such an awful state. They know not that it is God who is at this moment keeping them from hell. But you dear Christian, acknowledge your sin - live in the fullness of the Spirit. Acknowledge it because you have the full assurance that God will forgive you. When David confessed his transgressions, the LORD forgave the iniquity of his sin.
David was forgiven and is it not written that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. O, when you confess your sin right now, see the promise. Do you see it? Do you believe it? For if you do then you are forgiven and cleansed of all of your unrighteousness. You have no more sins to be forgiven of, you need no more cleansing. It is true that there is a continual cleansing and a once for all cleansing that has been done to you. when you first believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit, and forgiven and eternally justified. There is also a continual cleansing, that is the cleansing of our conscience - the cleansing of our soul in our daily living so that our communion with the Father and His Son will be sweet and we continue to walk in the light and have fellowship with one another. God gladly forgives us when we acknowledge our sins to him. He holds no grudges. It is outlandish - it is limitless, it is endless!
Because of this Vs 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. Yes, pray at this moment while you are still breathing that God may restore the joy of your salvation, and uphold you with a willing spirit.
The flesh is weak as the disciples found out; it is weak indeed even in the most intense moment. They slept whilst they should have prayed and thus deserted the Lord in his most needful hour. Too many Christians sleep through their salvation; rather than fasting from the world they fast from prayer. They feast on the fat of the world and irregularly eat on the bones of prayer. No wonder there are too many weak brothers and sisters. No wonder the enemy has gained so much ground in their lives because they forget that they are to be godly and to offer up prayers because in a favorable time he listens to us and in a day of salvation, he helps us.
Now is the favorable time. Today is the day of salvation. This is the hour that when we seek Him, we will find him. Yea we will find Him ready to forgive us. But be warned ye carnal Christians if there is such a thing as carnal Christians that if you miss the day of salvation and then proceed to call on him like the foolish virgins, that He will not hear you. He will not answer you even if you seek him diligently. You will not find him! He will refuse your prayers and cast you into eternal hell for you were never His.
But the godly should pray now. The godly will pray now. Pray diligently because even if you are in great trouble, and the water is about to sweep over you, your enemies will not reach you, the devil will not conquer you. He will save you with his mighty hands because he loves you and because you have called out to him.
The godly pray because they have sincere faith in the goodness of God. Prayerfulness is a mark of the godly. Not mindless prayers but heartfelt prayers. Prayers that comes to God because they love him and delight in him and see him as their comfort and are completely in awe of Him.
The godly hides in God. David says Vs 7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah! This is indeed wonderful - this is marvelous!
Have you made God your hiding place?
When the cares of this world overcome you, do you hide in God or do you retreat to the fleeting comfort of drugs, food, and sex?
Do you know what it is to hide in God?
Do you not know that your life is now hidden with Christ in God. O poor Christian, learn to hide in God. Learn to withdraw to God and learn to always abide in God. Jeremiah was hidden by God from his enemies and will He not hide you from the destruction of sin if you flee to him for refuge. A redeemed Christian will never go to hell - they will always abide with Christ and will always be in his safety for all eternity. He surrounds them with shouts of deliverance. He covers them with favor and surrounds them with his steadfast love.
Vs 8 It is true that wisdom is better than jewels and those that sit under the feet of Christ, to take his yoke upon them, and learn from him will find rest for their souls. The humble in heart will be glad and attentive to be instructed and taught in the way they should go.
Christ spent three years instructing his disciples and when he left them, He sent them the Holy Spirit to continue to give them counsel. His eyes were always upon them and it is the same with us. We have the bible which instructs us and teaches us in the way that we should go; He counsels us through his word with his eyes always upon us.
O dear saint, are you lost? Look to God and he will instruct you for such is His heart.
But do not forget his teaching but let your heart keep his commandments and you will not lose your way even if ten thousand should fall by your side. By springs of water He will guide you for He is your shepherd.
Therefore, Vs 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. Have a heart of understanding!
Always have a willing spirit to obey him and do as he has commanded you. For if you love him you will obey his commandments. Do not be like stupid children that have no understanding. They are wise in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.
But you dear saints are thankful because your transgressions have been forgiven and your sins covered. You delight in them no more, and your desire is to live a life that is pleasing to God. So, you seek his counsel and follow his ways. There is nothing that you want more than to be a living sacrifice to Jesus completely obeying his every will.
Those who are forgiven and given the righteousness of Jesus are the blessed and their joy will be forever but it is not so with the wicked, with those whose transgressions are not forgiven or sins covered.
Vs 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked. Many indeed! Sadly, it shall last forever in hell and their sorrows will greatly multiply. There is no peace for the wicked. But steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. This is true at this very moment and will forever be true for you who are trusting in the LORD. It is simple! Are you trusting in the LORD? then his steadfast love surrounds you at this very moment. He takes pleasure in those who fear him. You are blessed.
Vs 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! It is fitting that the psalm should end with praise, yes with a glad rejoicing heart because the LORD has not given us what we deserve. He has forgiven us and counts no iniquity against us. All of our transgressions are covered. We are clothed with the righteousness of His dear Son, Jesus Christ.
K.Oni
