There is nothing worse than the conviction of sin, which is why people go to such great lengths to ignore the misery unconfessed sin brings upon us. There is nothing better than to hear the words of David as explained by the Apostle Paul, “blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Blessed is the one against whom the Lord counts no iniquity. Indeed, blessed is the one.

The Guilt of Sin and the Joy of Being Counted Righteous

There is nothing worse than to feel the conviction of sin–that miserable sense that you’ve done something wrong and your actions displease God because they violate his commandments. The Psalmist describes this feeling as akin to the oppressive heat of a hot and sweltering summer day. On the other hand, there is nothing better than to know the forgiveness of sin–the sense that the guilt of our wrong-doing has been forgiven, and that we are now considered righteous, as though we had never broken a single one of God’s commandments. The Psalmist describes this sense as a safe hiding place in times of trouble.

This then, is the theme of the 32nd Psalm–where and how to find true happiness and peace stemming from the knowledge that our sins have been forgiven, and that we are counted as righteous before God. When someone once asked Martin Luther which of the Psalms he liked best–he said the Psalms of Paul (the 32nd, the 51st, the 130th, the 146th) because they teach that the full forgiveness of sins comes without works to all who believe.^[1] John Calvin says that in this Psalm we are reminded, “what a miserable thing it is to feel God’s hand heavy on account of sin,” but that “the highest and best part of a happy life consists in this, that God forgives a man’s guilt, and receives him graciously into his favor.”^[2] Indeed, blessed is the one whose sins are covered.

A Penitential Psalm

The 32nd Psalm is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4 as an important proof-text for the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone. This Psalm is often considered a “penitential Psalm”– the prayer of someone deeply affected by the guilt of their sins. It is also the second of seven so-called penitential Psalms in the Psalter, and the second such Psalm to appear in Book One of the Psalter. But this Psalm is much more than a penitential Psalm. It includes thanksgiving on the part of David–the Psalm’s author–as well as an appeal to divine wisdom which is revealed by YHWH. The Psalmist gives thanks for this wisdom, which he has received through the “instruction,” “teaching,” and “counsel” mentioned in verse 8. Having gained this wisdom from God, the Psalmist is moved to confess his sins and gives thanks to YHWH for this wonderful blessing. Made wise by God’s wisdom, the Psalmist describes the contrast between the misery of the conviction of sin and the joy (indeed, the happiness) of knowing that he is forgiven.^[3] The Psalmist can describe this sense so well because he has lived it.

The Structure of Psalm 32

In verses 1-2, the blessing under consideration is described against the backdrop of the conviction of sin and the desire to seek forgiveness in verses 3-5. This, in turn, leads the Psalmist to find refuge in the Lord (verses 6-7), where he is given instruction (verses 8-10). The Psalm concludes with a call for God’s people to rejoice in the Lord who has heard their confession of sin, and then graciously granted them the blessedness of knowing that the guilt of their sin has been taken away, that they are “covered,” and that YHWH remembers their sin no more.

The 32nd Psalm has a chiastic structure–a common Hebrew literary device in which the various premises of a sustained argument simultaneously work back from the beginning and the end of a biblical passage, toward the center, in which we find the conclusion (or main point)–which, in this case, is the promise of God’s wisdom in verse 8. The conviction of sin and the assurance of forgiveness are things rightly understood only when one seeks the wisdom of God. The person who seeks this wisdom learns that their own sin is not some minor or incidental thing, and that the forgiveness they presently enjoy comes only because God provides for that forgiveness through a sacrifice which he institutes and which is acceptable to him.^[4]

Our Sins Are Ultimately Sins Against God

To put it another way, when we see things from God’s perspective as revealed in his word (i.e., in the light of God’s wisdom) we know that our sins are ultimately sins against the holy God, and that the forgiveness we now enjoy has been purchased for us by the doing and dying of Jesus Christ upon the cross, for us, and in our place. Through the lens of Scripture we see things from God’s perspective (true wisdom)–our sin is a violation of God’s holy law as well as an affront to his holiness. Forgiveness is costly and requires the shedding of the Savior’s blood. Apart from Scripture (and the wisdom of God), sin is no big deal, and forgiveness comes by merely saying we are sorry.

The 32nd Psalm is the first of a series of Psalms (33-41) which speaks of the blessedness of the knowledge of forgiven sin. Both Psalm 33 and 34 speak of the joy of those who know that YHWH is Lord, and who know that God is their refuge. These Psalms encourage YHWH’s people to trust in the Lord, to seek his divine protection, and to know that God’s love surrounds them even in times of trouble. So then, the 32nd Psalm stands at the head of a brief series of Psalms which extol the wisdom of the Lord, while at the same time, this Psalm speaks of sorrow for sin and the joy which comes when we confess our sins to the Lord who then forgives us.

Blessed Are…

With this bit of background in mind let us dig into the text of the 32nd Psalm. The Psalm opens in verses 1-2 with the two-fold repetition of a blessing enjoyed by the people of God. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” The word “blessed” (’ašerê) can just as easily be translated “happy.”^[5] “Happy” is the person who knows that their sins are forgiven, who knows their sin is covered, and against whom the Lord does not count the guilt of their sins. The person is happy because their sins have been removed and hidden from sight. The willingness to confess one’s sins is reflected by the fact that they have no desire to hide things from God (deceit)–as if we could hide things from God. Nothing is more futile and self-defeating than to act as though God does not know what we think, what we feel, or what we have done.

The word translated as “transgression” refers to an act of rebellion. Is not all sin rooted in human rebellion? The word “iniquity” comes from a root meaning to be “crooked,” and refers to the intention to do wrong. “Sin” is something that misses the mark, by falling short of what is expected of us, like an arrow not reaching the target. By repeating three times the nature of human sin, the Psalmist is striving to remind us of the gravity of our sins because our sins render us guilty before God, it offends his holiness, and we must realize that our sin is self-destructive and damages others. We cannot begin to appreciate what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, until we understand what Adam has done to our race by rebelling against God and plunging the human race into sin and death.

If it is vital that we understand the gravity of our sins, it is more important that we understand the blessedness (happiness) of knowing that our sins have been forgiven–that we live and die in the assurance of God’s favor. As the Psalmist used three words for sin, so too he uses three words for forgiveness. The word translated “forgiven” refers to the act of carrying away (“removing”) the guilt of sin, and even the remembrance of it. The Psalmist also speaks of our sins as “covered.” This refers to the satisfaction of God’s wrath so that our sin is no longer a ground (or basis) of God’s anger toward us. Third, our sins–once satisfaction has been made–no longer count against us.^[6] It were as though we had never committed them–even though the consequences of our sin may remain.

Paul Appeals to This Psalm in Romans 4

In Paul’s letters (in the New Testament) the apostle often makes a theological point, but follows it up with an example from the Old Testament to clarify his point, as well as to prove to his Jewish readers that the apostle is not making his “gospel” up as he goes along. Paul preaches Christ, but the same Christ Paul preaches is hidden in the types and shadows of the Old Testament. Paul does this in Romans 4:5-8, making the theological point in verse 5, that “the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” God justifies, or counts as righteous, wicked people who trust in Jesus. To prove his point, Paul cites directly from this Psalm in verses 6-8 of Romans 4. David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: `Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” Paul’s point is that there is one gospel, found in both the Old and New Testaments.

A “Tranquilized” Conscience

The Psalmist speaks of things God’s people know and understand. We have all transgressed, sinned, and are filled with iniquities. But God forgives, covers, and no longer counts our sins against us. In light of this three-fold repetition of our sin, and the three-fold repetition of what God does so as to forgive us, John Calvin points out, “the two reasons for which the Psalmist insists so much on the subject of the forgiveness of sins are these—that he may, on the one hand, raise up those who are fallen asleep, inspire the careless with thoughtfulness, and quicken the dull; and that he may, on the other hand, tranquilize fearful and anxious minds with an assured and steady confidence.” The thought of remaining in our sins apart from Christ should absolutely terrify us. God intended his commandments (the law) to do this very thing–convict us of our sin. Although we don’t often think of the forgiveness of sins in terms of tranquilizing fearful and anxious minds, that is a great way to put what the gospel does. If we know that our sins are forgiven, then our consciences are quieted, and we can live and die in the light of God’s favor, and live and die without fear of God’s wrath.

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