Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.  – Psalm 32:1-2

I’ve just learned that there was another psalm connected with David and his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite (See 2 Samuel 11).  I knew Psalm 51 was connected to it and I’ve always loved hearing Keith Green’s “Create in me a clean heart” which is based on that chapter.  But Psalm 32 is like a conclusion to it all.  He says in Psalm 51 that he will teach transgressors His ways so that sinners will turn back to God.  Psalm 32 is like David making good on that promise.

Transgression

To transgress is to cross the line.  I look back over the course of my life and think of how many times I’ve known better, but I’ve gone on and done the opposite of what I knew God wanted me to do.  When you and I cross the line, we are all given the gift of asking for forgiveness.  To be forgiven is to have a debt lifted.  I can’t imagine how much I’d owe Him if He decided to send me a bill.  Blessed is the person who knows in his or her heart that God has made them completely debt free.

Sin

To sin is to miss the mark.  You and I have one shot at life.  Perfection is the only thing God allows into Heaven.  The wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23).  I can go through each of the ten commandments and know that I’ve broken them all.  I missed the mark.  But blessed is the person whose sin is covered.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is that His blood covers our sin, and God replaces our unrighteousness with His righteousness.  Oh, that every person would drop to their knees today and say, “Lord, I’ve missed the mark . . . cover my sin with Your blood and help me learn to love You and Your ways.”  

Iniquity

Iniquity is a crookedness or distortion in the way you and I see things.  Christians, especially American Christians, tend to make God look an awful lot like an idealized version of themselves.  How many times have I thought God hated the sins others were committing, but He surely understood mine?  I want to think as He thinks.  I want to walk as He walked, but the truth is . . . I have some distorted thinking.  He is still working on me.  I’m so glad He has changed the way that I’ve thought over the years and corrected many of the things I used to look down on others for doing.  Blessed is the man who God does not impute iniquity.  Impute is a bookkeeping term.  Thank Yahweh that He does not keep a record of our wrongs.  I wish I was quick to forgive wrongs.  Most of the time I have to daily forgive until, at some point, God helps me to forget.  Thankfully my mind eventually doesn’t think to remember anymore.  I don’t want to remember the wrongs done against me, because I’ve certainly done my share of wrong to others . . . and especially to God.

Lord, forgive my transgressions this morning.  I know I’ve crossed the line.  Thank You for covering my sin when I was a sixteen-year-old foolish kid.  Help me to truly believe and rest in your forgiveness.  Ever since that day, You have been correcting me in my thinking, growing me in my faith, and helping me walk with You each and every day.  Do not impute iniquity to me, Lord.  If You kept a record of my wrongs, I could not stand in the judgement.  Bless me indeed.  Increase my territory.  Oh, that Your hand would be with me, and please keep evil from me, Lord.  There is and never will be another like You.  There is and never will be another salvation like the one You offer.  Amen.