“The Blessing of Forgiveness” – FBC Morning Light (2/13/2025)

The Blessing of Forgiveness in Psalm 32

Well good morning. I want to encourage you today from one of the great blessings that belong to the Christian, that is found and referred to in Psalm 32. And the Psalm begins with this statement of great blessing.

What is it? He says this, blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord will does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. There can be no greater blessing than to know your sins are forgiven.

To know that the Lord does not have anything against you, if you will. There's no iniquity imputed unto you. And that your sin, your sin is atoned for, it's covered. What a tremendous blessing. Now why is that such a great blessing, to know this?

Well because of what life is like if you're trying to deal with and cope with undealt-with sin. And it's described in verses 3 and 4. He says, when I kept silent, that is, when I didn't deal with my sin, he said, when I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long.

You know, I read that and I tried to think about, now what is the psalmist describing here? My bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. Well I don't know that I exactly understand all that imagery, but I have an inkling of it.

I'm not as young as I used to be. So for example, in the morning, I get up in the morning and one of the first things I do is I'll spend the first hour in chair with my Bible and my books and a cup of coffee and so forth.

And usually about 45 minutes into that time, I get up and go refill my coffee cup. And what's interesting is, I've found, is that I get up and my bones are stiff, and there's some pain in my feet, and a little stiffness in my knees.

What is that? These old bones, I guess. And this is a, I mean, if that didn't clear up after a few steps of walking, and I had to experience that all day long, it would be really miserable. Well, the psalmist is saying that's what his life is like when he hasn't dealt with his sin.

I kept silent, my bones grew old, I was groaning all the day long. He says in verse 4, for day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. What's that like?

What's the drought of summer like? Some of you live in drought-prone areas, you know exactly what that's like. Hot, dry, saps the strength right out of you. Look, when we're under the weight of the conviction of sin, and trying to just trying to cope with the weight of that unconfessed, undealt-with sin, it saps you.

It's grievous, it's a miserable way to live. That's why it's such a great blessing when the Lord does not impute iniquity, when your sins are forgiven, when your sins are atoned for. Well, how do you get from the misery to the delight?

Oh, verse 5. He says, I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. I wonder today, are you, are your bones groaning?

Are you getting old? I'm not talking physically, I'm talking about, are you dealing with the misery of walking around with unconfessed sin? The weight of that guilt is just, it's pressing down upon you, it's weighing you down, it's burdening you, you're miserable and you know it.

The answer, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. So deal with it. Take your sin to the Lord, confess it to him, agree with him about the character of your sin, and ask him, Lord, you promised to forgive those who confess.

I confess, please forgive. And feel the weight taken off of your shoulders. Feel the spring back in your step. You know, down in verses 10 and 11, the psalmist closes the psalm this way, he says, many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.

That is, that's that covenant loyalty again, hesed shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. This is the experience of those who know their sin is forgiven, it's been atoned for, and there is no iniquity imputed unto you.

You're glad in the Lord, you can rejoice and shout for joy, because you're upright by God's grace in heart. Our Father and our God, I pray that we would keep a short account of sin, that we, as soon as we feel that weight of sin, oh Lord, when we go before you and confess it and turn from it and find forgiveness, we pray in Jesus name and for his sake, amen.

Confessing Sin and Receiving Forgiveness

All right, listen, have a good rest of your day. May God bless you in it.