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 |
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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
Previously I discussed the meaning of the word “blessed”
as well as the meaning of the three words used for sin in verses 1-2. I made
the point that these three terms for “sin” were not listed in verses 1 and 2
for us to make fine distinctions about different kinds of sin. Instead, they
were there to point out sin's utter depravity.
By contrast, God had provided complete and free forgiveness for
sin, resulting in a person being called “blessed.” However, this forgiveness
was not accomplished by simply pardoning the offender despite their guilt. That
would be unjust. But so that God would be both “just and the justifier” (see
further Rom 3:21-26 ESV), God forgave them through Christ’s
sacrifice on the cross. This was an objective work of God. Subjectively, we
will also see in the coming verses the crushing weight of sin upon those who have
come under the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
However, before I move on to this, let me point out one more sin
mentioned in this passage which will also connect us to these coming verses. It
is the Hebrew word “remiyah,” translated as “deceit” in English. However, this
word was not included in the list of sins that are forgiven. Why? Because David
uses this word to qualify the terms by which a person’s sins may be forgiven,
covered, and not held to account for.
David speaks of the lack of the presence
of the sin of deceit. By emphasizing the absence of deceit, he is making the
point that the person pardoned must repent with sincerity, honesty, and integrity.
Craigie
points this out in his commentary on this Psalm:
The relevance of the term is to be seen in the means by which forgiveness
is granted; the forgiveness implied in the first three lines presupposes
repentance and confession (cf. v 5), and only when that repentance and
confession are honest, devoid of deceit, will the happy estate of forgiveness
be experienced.
Craigie, P. C. (2004). Psalms 1–50 (2nd ed., Vol. 19, p. 266). Nelson
Reference & Electronic.
Worship in Witness:
Any public confession given with deceitful motives in order
to gain favor is empty and self-serving. Consider the person that confesses
their transgression(s) to God out of fear of punishment. They give the
appearance of remorse, but there is no repentance in their heart, and they do
not care that they have offended Him and besmirched His name. They have “the
appearance of godliness, but denying its power” ( 2 Tim 3:5 ESV). They “honor
[God] with their lips, but their hearts are far from [Him]” (Matt 15:8 NIV).
Will they not hear from the lips of our Lord “I never knew you; depart from me,
you workers of lawlessness” (Matt 7:21 ESV).
The parable told by our Lord of the Pharisee and the tax
collector found in Luke 18:9-14 comes to my mind. I realize Jesus
did not tell this parable to address deceitfulness and integrity. In fact, we
are given the reason why He told it in verse 9:
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they
were righteous, and treated others with contempt...
ESV
The Lord concluded the parable with these words in verse 14:
all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.” TNIV
I know what you are thinking, “what does all this have to do
with deceitfulness and integrity?”
Well, as you think of the Pharisee and his pride, think: dishonest
and deceived because he was lying to himself and perhaps trying to cover up his
sin with a pile of steaming self-righteous manure (see Phil. 3:1-9 especially verse 8, where most
modern translations are too polite to call “rubbish” what it is: “dung” KJV).
But, for the tax collector in his torment, think of honesty
and integrity; he was honest before God and others about himself and had the integrity
not to hide it.
I back up this reading between the lines with two verses in 1
John.
8
If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not
in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
David will address the issue of confession in the verses to
follow in Psalm 32. Suffice it to say that the word “confess” points to this
matter of honesty and integrity. In most English translations, a more literal
rendering of the Greek word translated
as “confess” in 1 John 1:9 is: “to say the same thing.” Thus, in 1 John 1:9
(and Psalm 32, as we shall see), this would mean “to see and say what God says.”
That is, to agree with God that we have sinned. I remember visiting a man with
my friend who was pastoring a small church in Mississippi. This man would not
admit he was a sinner but boasted of his good deeds instead. I also seem to
remember that he claimed he had documentation to that effect!
The point is that if we don’t sincerely confess that we are
sinners, we lie to ourselves and others and call God a liar!
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not
in us.
1 John 1:10
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002,
2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
However, when we see our sins as God sees them (defiling, disgracing,
and debasing) and confess them to Him, we have this promise:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)
Then we can declare with joy,
“I am blessed because my sins are
forgiven!”
Worship
in Promise, Prayer, Poem, and Praise
Lord, save me I cried
As I looked into the mirrorAnd with horror, I saw myself
My sinful ways became clearer
Save me from my
pride
Save me from my iniquities
The sins I try to hide
Save me from my doubts
Save me from my fears
Save me from my sorrows
The trials that bring me tears
Save me from my anger
Save me from my fury
Save me from my angst
The stuff that makes
me worry
Save me from self-righteousness
Save me from cheap grace
Save me from vain religion
The paths I like to chase
Save me from destruction
Save me from the past
Save me from the inferno
The torture that will last
As I turned to walk away
I heard Christ beckon me
Come to Me and find rest
And salvation, you will see
Mercy Was Applied (Poem based on Luke 18:9-14)
Thought the Pharisee,
“God, I am better than that he!”
Pointing at a tax
collector with disdain in his eyes
But hear what the tax
collector says in a woeful plea
“God, have mercy on me, a
sinner,” with lowered eyes
The Pharisee thumped his
chest
He thought he was the
best
The tax collector beat
his chest
And pleaded to be blest
The Pharisee stood alone
from the crowd
He stood alone and proud
The tax collector stood
afar with head bowed
Imploring to be wrapped
in Mercy’s shroud
For the Pharisee, no Mercy,
only “woe betide!”
As he walked away with
unrepentant pride
For the tax collector, Mercy
was applied
As he walked away
justified
This is a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15 – KJV
Put In
Me (Psalm 51) by
Enter the Worship CVircle
Oh,
Mercy, fall on me
Like
a warm blanket
On
my cold, cold heart
Clean
me with Your blood
That
turns me white...on the inside
I'm
on my knees again
'Cause
I'm breaking Your heart
Put
in me what I cannot buy with gold
Put
in me, oh God, come restore my broken soul
Put
in me what I cannot give myself
Put
in me...a clean heart...a clean heart
I
know all my broken places
Like
the back of my hand
That
slapped Your face again
Wash
me in Your love
And
hold me tight like a baby
'Till
I have no memory
Of
ever breaking Your heart...Your heart
Put
in me what I cannot buy with gold
Put
in me, oh God, come restore my broken soul
Put
in me what I cannot give myself
Put
in me...
BRIDGE
And
in the joy when You restore me
I
will stand and walk again
I
will run into this world
I
will call them to come in
But
I will not point my finger or grow that wicked skin
That
cannot remember what I will not forget
How
I broke You, or how I'm broken
Put
in me what I cannot buy with gold
Put
in me, oh God, come restore my broken soul
Put
in me what I cannot give myself
Put
in me...a clean heart...a clean heart
Video: https://youtu.be/BCITymuaJOU
Lyrics: Adapted
from – https://www.flashlyrics.com/lyrics/enter-the-worship-circle/put-in-me-22
