It is suggested that this is traditionally sung on the Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur
It is a gospel psalm
Rom 4
A man in not saved by his own righteousness, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ
What sin?
Transgression (v1)
Sin (v1)
Iniquity (v2)
We are tear aways from God and have defied His law and rules
What is it about us that finds sin so attractive?
Sin Covered Up (v3-4)
We know about David's sin
Psalm 51
Bathsheba - adultery, murder
"When I kept silent, my bones grew old, Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer." - Ps 32:3-4
A man with a guilty conscience trying to cover up sin
Living in denial - that he hasn't sinned and that is doesn't matter anyway
Today there is a terrible silence about sin
Do Psychiatrists talk about sin?
Do Politicians talk about sin?
Do bishops talk about sin?
Sin is real, the devil is real
Both are work in us and in the world in which we live
It is easy to cover things up
David is in a deadlock
David is stubborn
"Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you." - Ps 32:9
People cover up their sin
They drown out their conscience
We sweep sin 'under the carpet'
Hiding the fact that people need to be talking to God
Rom 1 - everyone knows deep down that they are accountable to God
Refusing to acknowledge sin will be detrimental to you
Sin Confessed [v5]
David acknowledged his sin to God
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." - 1 John 1:9-10
If we deny sin we call God a liar
Consider the example of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:17-19)
You don't have to find the right words to say to God
'Father I have sinned before heaven and before You'
It is both easy and hard
Hard - because we are proud people
Hard - because the older we get, the more difficult it is to admit we are wrong
Hosea 14:1-2
David knows he must be open and honest with God
Sin Covered [v1-2]
Here is the real covering that God provides
Just as in the Garden of Eden
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered." Ps 32:1
Our sins are not brushed aside but dealt with
Example from the hymn ?'It is well, it is well'
Jesus has dealt with our sins
God's plan in eternity
He will not impute sin and iniquity to the one who trusts in Jesus
By the cross God is able to accept the believer in Jesus
It is as though we had never sinned
Our sins are put to Christ and His righteousness is given to us
Christ bore the sin and reproach
Our unrighteousness imputed to Christ and His righteousness imputed to us
"Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity" - Ps 32:2a
