My God and My Country

A Study of Psalm Thirty Two

Verse 1

1 Blessed is he whose wickedness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered.

Related Scripture:

Romans 4:6

Brethren:

This is a key point in our faith in the Creator. For His grace is given unto us through Christ who became the propitiation of our sins. (Read 1 John 2:2). Undo this grace, we are now considered as righteous. Not for what we have done. For works, while required, does not bring us the righteousness that is required or defined by God. All of our sins, every one of them are covered by the blood of Christ. So, while we have been told in God's word to “sin no more” (Read John 8:11), we are also covered for those times when we stumble.

“Happy is the condition - the state of mind - happy are the prospects, of one whose sins are forgiven.” His condition is happy or blessed. As compared with his former state, when he was pressed or bowed down under a sense of guilt. [Man], in his real condition, as that of a pardoned man - a man who has nothing now to fear as the result of his guilt, or who feels that he is at peace with God [and is] now a child of God and an heir of heaven.

The word rendered “forgiven” means properly to lift up, to bear, to carry, to carry away; and sin which is forgiven is referred to here “as if” it were borne away. - As it were “covered over;” that is, concealed or hidden; or, in other words, so covered that it will not appear. This is the idea in the Hebrew word which is commonly used to denote the atonement, - כפר 'kâphar' - meaning “to cover over;” then, to overlook, to forgiven. The original word here, however, is different - כסה 'kâsâh' - though meaning the same - “to cover.” The idea is, that the sin would be, as it were, covered over, hidden, concealed, so that it would no longer come into the view of either God or man; that is, the offender would be regarded and treated as if he had not sinned, or as if he had no sin.” - Barnes study and commentary of the Bible