Worship
in Witness:
Weeks have
passed since I attempted to “define” the meaning of the word blessed. As you
can infer, I still struggle with time management and the will to study and
write. It comes to mind as I sit here, “Am I taking my salvation for granted?”
Another question also comes to mind: “Am I motivated to sit down now for a
short time before I go to bed by guilt more than delight?” Perhaps there is a
grain (a very large one!) of truth in these thoughts. But they may also be
sourced in an accusing conscience and the taunts of the evil one. The question
is, “will I be paralyzed by these thoughts or turn to the One who can free me
from being held captive by them?”
Lord,
I turn
to You, my strength and source of joy. I confess my lack of desire and lazy
ways. I admit my desire for earthly things – food, political issues, and the
sense of monetary security – take up too much of my time. I envy others who
seem to be enjoying themselves without thinking of the need for the deep study
of Your word. And I feel the world’s pull – watch this... taste this... think
this...do this. It seems like I am surrounded by one colossal advertising
scheme that seeks to lure me away from You. But I confess, Lord, it is working.
I’m drawn away by phone notifications, numerous emails, finances, and even food
preparation. I pray that envy, guilt, and inertia will give way to joy,
delight, and desire. Because I know when I am drawn away by these things, it is
because I want to be. No excuses, Lord. I am guilty. But I am reminded by this
very Psalm of what You have done for me. Chill bumps run up my arms as You
remind me that I have been justified by Your grace! I AM BLESSED!
Worship in Word:
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Of David. A maskil. Title: Probably a literary or musical term 1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. NIV (2011)
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Ps 32 A Maskil of David. 32 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. ESV |
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Ps 32 A Psalm of David, Mas'-chil. 32 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. KJV |
Ps 32 A psalm of David. 32 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, 1996, 2004 |
As you can
see, I have broken from my usual pattern of Worship in Word
followed by Worship in Witness. But I felt compelled to bare my
soul to God (I speak figuratively, of course, because God already knows me, and
He knows what I will say before I say it – Psalm
139:1-4).
So it would not make sense for me to begin
with Worship in Word first. The transition would be jarring and
chronologically dishonest if I inserted what I wrote above after my study in
the Psalm itself.
My outlines for Psalm 32
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II. Conviction – vv. 3-4 III. Confession – v. 5 IV. Call – v. 6 V. Confidence – v. 7 V. Counsel – vv. 8-9 VI. Contrast – v. 10 VII. Celebrate! – v. 11
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Blessed
– vv. 1-2 Lament/Languish
– vv. 3-4 Exonerate
– v 5 Seek
– v. 6 Shelter/security
– v. 7 Educate
– v. 8-10 Delight
– v. 11 |
I. Covered/ Blessed – vv. 1-2
This happiness, this joyful response elicited from a believer
upon experiencing the forgiveness described in verses one and two of Psalm 32,
is the response of one who has just entered the kingdom of God. But it is also the
reaction of any believer who stumbles on the path of righteousness.
The Apostle Paul uses this Psalm in the first sense in Romans 4:6-8. That happy day when Jesus washed
our sins away! But David’s words also have a broader application. For they not
only apply to the newborn believer. They also apply to the stumbling, more
seasoned saint at any time on their way to the celestial City. They will get
back up when they have stumbled and fallen flat on their face and remind
themselves that the blood of Christ has forgiven all their sins.
And it is to this second use that I
responded with my prayer. The same reaction David has in Psalm 32:1-2!
David begins verses 1 and 2 with the interjection “Blessed!” Notice
the exclamation mark I have added. Of the four versions above, only the NLT includes
one at the end of verses one and two. This is unfortunate because I believe it highlights
the forgiven's emotional response to God’s gracious act. So why does David respond
this way? And for that matter, any believer who is conscious of their sin. We
will find the answer in the words that follow His interjection – “Blessed!”
David brings together three words in verses 1 and 2 to
describe the depth and depravity of sin. This is how one Commentary describes
these words.
The three
words for sin may in certain contexts connote different reactions to God and
his commandments: (1) “transgression” (pešaʿ) is an act of rebellion and
disloyalty... (2) “sin” (ḥaṭāʾāh) is an act that misses—often
intentionally—God’s expressed and revealed will... and (3) “sin” (ʿāwōn,
“iniquity”) is a crooked or wrong act, often associated with a conscious and
intentional intent to do wrong.
VanGemeren,
W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible
Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 271).
Zondervan Publishing House.
The NIV does not distinguish between the two different words David employs for sin at the end of verse 1
and the first part of verse 2. Instead, it translates them both with the word
“sin.” Other translations rightly translate the second word (ʿawon) as “iniquity.”
However, David does not employ these words so that we can put a label on different kinds
of sin. Instead, he is using these words, in a sense, collectively to emphasize
sin's utter depravity. And David also wants us to feel the weight of sin that
burdens us. Sin crushes us and keeps us from moving forward on the race “set
before us.” This will become apparent in the verses that follow. Does not the
author of Hebrews urge us to “... lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...” (Heb 12:1b-c ESV)?
David immediately moves from the depths of depravity to the heights
of grace. He is building suspense here. He begins with the joyous state of
someone. It begs the question, “Who is this one who is blessed?” David answers,
“The one whose sins have been forgiven.” “Yes, but what is their name?” they ask. He is setting them/us up, isn’t he? But David has a
little more to say before he reveals the answer to that question.
First, David paints blood-based words of grace on a canvas – stained
by transgression, sin, and iniquity. Here is how one commentary explains these grace-filled words:
There are
also three different Hebrew verbs associated with the first three of these
terms for sin, also showing different aspects of forgiveness: (1) the root ns’ (translated forgiven) is literally “lifted up” and emphasizes the burden of sin
being lifted from the person, (2) the root kasah
(translated covered) means to hide
or cover something that is offensive, and (3) the root chashav (translated charge)
can mean “reckon” or “regard,” but in legal contexts it means to reckon as
liable for punishment (impute with guilt).
[1] Warstler, K. R. (2017). Psalms. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 844). Holman
Bible Publishers.
Is this not the picture of what was done ultimately, finally,
and completely at the cross of Calvary? Our transgressions were lifted,
placed on Christ our Savior, and covered by His blood. And thus, our iniquities
were no longer counted against us who call upon Him to forgive and save us from
eternal ruin!
David lived at a time when daily animal sacrifices were made
for sins by the Aaronic priesthood. And at a time when the High Priest made a
yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement for the nation's sins. Again, I quote
from Epistle to the Hebrews:
For since the
law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of
these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually
offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise,
would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once
been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But
in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it
is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Heb 10:1-4 ESV
But When Christ came. He made a sacrifice that was once and for
all. To be appropriated by those who, in repentance and trust, go to Him for
the forgiveness of their sins. So, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews
concludes:
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he
said,
“Sacrifices
and offerings you have not desired,
but a body
have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have
taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O
God,
as it is
written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor
taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin
offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he
added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in
order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:5-10
ESV
For this
reason, we have even more reason to cry –
BLESSED!
Worship
in Promise, Prayer, Poem, and Praise
For Thy
Name’s Sake
O, LORD…
For Thy name’s sake
And not
mine
Forgive
my iniquity
For this, I pine
That in
doing this
You
receive the glory
And I can
share
The
wondrous story
Of thy
steadfast love
And
gracious heart
Which
leads me to sing
How great
Thou art
With
tears that flow
Like a
flood
Because
of Thy
Redeeming
blood
(His Pain/Our Gain)
Betwixt and between
The
sublime and obscene
We live our life
With
serenity and strife
As Abel and Cain
With
peace and with pain
For the now and not yet
The
present and future fret
In the bright and the hazy
Working
hard, being lazy
Amidst our gains and loss
Stands
the old rugged cross
Bringing joy and gladness
To
a world full
of sadness
The Lion became a Lamb
The
God provided Ram
Offering forgiveness of sin
And
abiding peace within
To all who call on His name
Who bore our guilt and shame
Born to Die – by Bebo Norman
They never knew a dark night
Always had the Son’s light on their face
Perfect in glory, broken by the story
Of untold grace, come that day
Majesty had come down, glory had succumbed now
To flesh and bone
In the arms of a manger, in the hands of strangers
That could not know, just who they hold
And the angels filled the sky
All of heaven wondered why
Why their King would choose to be
Be a baby born to die
And all fell silent for the cry of an infant
The voice of God
Was dividing history for those with eyes to see
The Son would shine from earth that night
And the angels filled the sky
All of heaven wondered why
Why their King would choose to be
Be a baby born to die, be a baby born to die
To break the chains of guilt and sin
To find us here, to pull us in
So we can join in heaven’s song
And with one voice around the throne
All the angels filled the sky
And I can’t help but wonder why
Why this King would choose to be
Be a baby born for me, be a baby born
Be a baby born to die
Written
by: JASON DAVID INGRAM, JEFFREY STEPHEN NORMAN
Lyrics
© Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics
Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyrics: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33489543/Bebo+Norman/Born+to+Die
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy_B84xrCiQ