I've recently done some studies on the first part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the section there called the Beatitudes, and have come to appreciate through that study much more than what I used to, what the Savior meant when he said, blessed are the poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, They which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart and so forth. I believe these Beatitudes in Matthew five have a parallel in David's psalm number 32 as we count them. The psalm of the blessing of God's forgiveness. And that is my Texas evening. I invite your attention to Psalm 32. It's always a privilege to stand before you and not just because it's Trinity Bible Church or not just because Pastor Custer, Pastor Mazak are usually the ones preaching to you, but because it's the word of the Lord and he allows this great privilege. Psalm 32 is considered to be the sequel to Psalm 51, which is called David's Penitential Psalm. In which the king repented over his great sins of adultery and murder. This Psalm is David's exclamation of joy at his having been forgiven. By the one whom he had offended. David had prayed in Psalm 51. One have mercy upon me, O God. According to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. And the God who hears those who call upon him in truth did exactly that. Psalm 32 is the result. This song, if you notice in the title, A word which perhaps is not explained in your English text is one of thirteen Old Testament hymns called Mosqueel. A psalm intended to instruct those who read it or hear it. So in a sense, it's a teaching psalm, as all are, but. That title is given to 13 of them in the book of Psalms. And this is one of those. But as such, we ought to find spiritual help from these eleven verses. And I. I think we can and should. Help that will bring us closer to God, fellowshipping with him, knowing him. And serving him better. I know three things about the blessing of God's forgiveness in Psalm 32. One is that King David declared the blessing of God's forgiveness. Verses one and two. Although he had delayed the blessing of God's forgiveness. Verses three through five. And then finally, he described the blessing of God's forgiveness. Verses six through 11. First, the blessing of God's forgiveness is declared. Verse one. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputed not iniquity and in whose spirit. There is no guile. A recently published commentary on Romans titled The Righteousness of God. Defines blessedness as a special state of God's favor imparted to people. David uses the word blessed in each of these verses as he opens his psalm, showing how clearly understood how much God had favored him by forgiving his sin. And his sin was grievous. All sin is. I don't know if there's anyone in this room who would disagree with the fact that sin is grievous to a holy God. Any one sin is enough to send that person to an eternity without God for punishment. But I would ask myself and I would have you ask, is my sin grievous? Is your sin grievous? You know, Jesus first beatitude was blessed are the poor in spirit. There's the kingdom of God. And that's poor in spirit obviously means they are spiritual beggars. They know they have nothing to offer God. Sinners have nothing to offer until we realize that we are spiritually bankrupt and throw ourselves on God's mercy. We will remain so. The comment in Romans 4, 6, which quotes this passage. is that David describes the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righteousness without works. That was what Paul wrote in Romans four, as he quoted from Psalm 32, verse one. You and I certainly have heard many times from this pulpit that there is absolutely nothing you or I could do to impress God with our supposed righteousness. to mollify His wrath against us because of our sin and our iniquity. Cause Him to show favor to us for some reason that we've done some nice stuff. It just doesn't happen. And I think every one of us should perceive better His standing with God. But that reduces us really to one of two kinds of persons. Those not yet forgiven of their sins. They're in danger of eternal ruin. They need to flee to God's loving arms now. Arms that are held out in mercy to receive the truly repentant. And then there are sinners who have been forgiven. Of their sin. They need to better understand their eternal blessedness as God's beloved children and rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of glory that God has taken away sin and its guilt forever. So the psalm has a message, it is indeed a muskeel. It can teach us the most important lesson we may ever learn. But David declared that blessedness. Of God's forgiveness, but there's a second thought here as he goes on, and that is the blessing of God's forgiveness. Was in David's case and perhaps many others delayed. Jesus' second beatitude was, blessed are they that mourn. That is, they not only admit their sin, but they are also ashamed of it. They're grieved. They don't like that condition as they come before the one true God because he's holy. After David's sins of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah, He attempted to go on with his life they had before for many months until the day that his unnamed child was born. His child conceived in adultery. As I see it, until that day came, although everything seemed to be going well for David, it was not. It was on that day, I believe, that David was no doubt accepting congratulations from well-wishers. Another son of the king. He had other sons, other children, sons and daughters. There was another one. On that day, I think, it was that the prophet Nathan came with an urgent matter that demanded the king's attention, something that only he could decide. As you know, Nathan gave David a story that involved a rich man who coldly appropriated his poor servants one lamb to make a meal of it. And David was enraged. Declaring his judgment on the wicked act of the rich man. And then Nathan identified him as the man. Because it's a parallel. He had many wives. Here I had one. So he was the man and the king was struck immediately with piercing conviction. Look at David's words as he recalls this from a later perspective. In verses three and four, when I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring or could be groaning all the day long. For day and night, thy hand was heavy upon me. My moisture is turned into the drought of summer." Sila. As he thought about it later, David came to realize his unbearable burden of guilt. However, he had gone on with his life thinking, I suppose, that a crisis moment had passed without much damage. He would just continue on as before Even with his prayers and sacrifices at the tabernacle. Of course, everything was not all right. And all of his religious posturing was in vain. You don't suppose that David stayed away from the tabernacle, do you? He lived out a life externally. But ladies and gentlemen, as we consider those months and David between the time of his committing those sins and his asking God for forgiveness, he wasn't in fellowship with God. He certainly wasn't experiencing God's blessing. He was spiraling into a dark pit of despair and sorrow and loneliness. He's going through the motions of success while God, the God he once loved, seemed no longer nearby. And the memories of past rich fellowship that he had had with God were fading. The man after God's own heart, as he was called, wasted many months in a spiritually barren state. What about you and me? Has the Holy Spirit brought to your consciousness something that has grieved Him, that really does not please your Lord, and it keeps coming back to your mind over and over? Something perhaps now that you or I may consider too small, too long past, too embarrassing, or too something to bother with. And that the Holy Spirit keeps reminding you about it, that it is important to Him. And that unless you or I deal with it, our fellowship with God and our service for Him are at stake. Is there someone here who knows he's throwing away priceless opportunities of fellowship and service for the living God? Will you or I not listen to David's voice, literally his cry out from experience turned from our pride and our willfulness. Bow before our maker and our Lord. Now, thankfully, David did repent. From the heart. And he threw himself on God's mercy alone. He had committed sins and in vain tried to conceal them. But when he confessed his sins. God put away his guilt and restored David to his fellowship. He says in verse five, I acknowledged my sin unto thee. And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord. And thou forgave us the iniquity of my sin, Selah. Now, that's where Psalm 51 gives the actual. Heart of David in this repentance of those. Sins that he had committed. Please notice the word Selah It's used three times in this psalm. It appears after verse four, verse five and verse seven. You'll see it occasionally in other songs as well. Sometimes those who read Bible publicly pronounce it out, sometimes they do not. But in either case. There are many who believe that this word is inserted there to make a pause so that the person can reflect on what was just said or sung, like an interlude, like quiet music perhaps, or just silence so things can sink in a little bit. If that is the case, the psalmist wanted us to ponder the fact that for months, he was in a numbing stupor of unconfessed sin. Perhaps it would help us just to review the words used in this psalm alone. Previous verses, transgression is used twice, sin is used three times, iniquity is used three times, and guile is used once. Could this man who knew God, served God, was courageous for God and for Israel and fellowship with God and gave his truth and. Could he really be in this condition? See. Ponder that. It can happen to a man like David. A man who is described in the Bible as a man after God's own heart. Do we think it cannot happen to you or me? My soul beyond thy guard. Ten thousand foes arise. We need to be careful spiritually. But after Nathan confronted King David and he repented. The Lord forgave his iniquity. Although David certainly didn't have the wording of first John one nine, he knew its truth. We confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To confess my sin means literally that I agree with God. As to what he said about them. I sincerely say the same thing that he has said. The Greek word homo is translated confess, and that's what that means. I'm saying the same. And the Lord has clearly declared in His Word what sin is and what it does to you and me. And what He has done for us about it. When we agree with God concerning our sins, He responds with forgiveness and cleansing. Selah. Ponder that. That is wonderful. Ponder the truth of Micah 718. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He delighteth in mercy. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. And ponder the truth of Nehemiah 9.17, Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Why do people in the world think that God is eager to judge? They don't know Him. They need to know Him. And ponder the truth of Psalm 103, The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will He keep His anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. It doesn't get better than that for the person who comes to God and asks for forgiveness. We need to ponder how great God is. And because of that, we need to ponder, we need to ponder how great any sin we commit against Him is. But we also need to ponder how good God is to pardon us. As we humble ourselves, confess our sins and we rest in his grace alone. Well, there's a third portion of Psalm 32 as well. And I think of it as a blessing of God's forgiveness described. There are three primary effects that God's forgiveness has on his people. And the first one is the blessing of protection. This is verses six and seven. For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee in a time when now mayest be found. Surely, in the floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble. Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." Selah. He said, they shall not come nigh. What is it from which David's confession and God's forgiveness protect him? Why does the king need a hiding place? The answer is, at least in part, I believe, in the next line, trouble. It may not be immediate, and it certainly won't be forever for those who know God. But there is no doubt about it. Our sins bring trouble. Don't think for a minute that the psalm writer escaped all trouble. He did not. All who have heard of David are painfully aware of his sins, and many are aware of their cost to David himself, to his family, to his nation and to God. There was an untimely or violent death of four sons. There were uprisings in his own family and in his nation. There was bloodshed. On his account, there were troubles that came in waves one after the other. He called out for the Lord to be his hiding place. Because trouble was coming. Most frightful result, I believe, is what Nathan told David. This comes out of Second Samuel 12, 14. David, by this, these sins. Had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord. To blaspheme. I think that hurt David's heart more than any other loss. doesn't say so in so many words, but watching David carefully in his response to what Nathan said and calling upon God for forgiveness and his fasting for seven days, pleading for the life of this child that was just born. His humility, putting himself into the hands of God. Even his own son comes after him and he just withdraws, not knowing that he'll live another day. And yet, giving it to God. I think that hurt him more. We would well see our own sins through the prism of God's reputation. How he wants to be known in the world that he made. Our sins cloud his glory. They soil his name. They turn others away from his truth, and that's not good. Trouble certainly came because David's. Sin was great. Nevertheless, they did not swallow him up. He found in God this hiding place. That he pled for. David understood the truths that Isaiah wrote three centuries later. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call you upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him. And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. David knew that. The hymn writer William Cushing put it this way. Oh, safe to the rock that is higher than I, my soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly. So sinful, so weary. Thine, thine would I be, thou blessed rock of ages. I'm hiding in thee. How often the conflict when pressed by the foe, I have fled to my refuge. and breathed out my woe, how often, when trials like sea billows roll, have I hidden in thee, O thou rock of my soul." The good part here is that David's way became a way that was compassed about with songs of deliverance. He could praise God for his power, for his faithfulness, for his forgiveness, And we could and should learn from David's experience rather than learning the hard way ourselves. We don't have to go through that valley. We don't have to be in that darkness. We don't have to experience that trouble. It's already happened and we have a report of it. And we can avoid all that. And God would have it that way. There is protection. Even though we sin in God's care, but not only is there protection in God. Secondly, there's the blessing of perception. Verses eight and nine. King David writes, I, he writes actually God's words here. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye. Be not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. God himself is the speaker, encouraging his children to obey him and have his blessing. Instead of disobeying and needing chastening, In Jesus' Beatitudes, he said, blessed are the meek, the submitted, those who don't and never even think that they can handle it themselves. They're going to trust God. He also said, blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. And this portion of Psalm 32, I think, speaks of those things. As certainly and as clearly as God revealed what cannot please Him, He has revealed what does please Him. And we have these instructions in writing, praise God. They're not subject to the foibles of word of mouth Somebody not understanding what dad said years ago or something of the sort. God saw to it that we had his word accurate. He wants us to be so eager to obey him that all he need do is to look with his eye toward where we are to go and we're there. Listen to a parallel passage, Psalm 123, 2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden look unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon thee, upon the Lord our God. I will guide thee with mine eye. Now, he does speak to us with his word and we have it, as I said, in encoded and written form. But he wants us to be so attentive, so careful in following his instructions. All we have to do is see where he looks and how he looks. And we'll know what to do. He doesn't like the idea that we are dumb beasts who need external controls so that they can do something useful, have some productive work. Remember God's precious promise, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shalt go. James said, if any man like wisdom, let him ask of God to give us who give it to all men liberally and upbraid is not and it shall be given him. We'll have that wisdom God wants us to have and we can do right. And there's a third primary effect. not only protection and perception of God's delights, but also the blessing of praise. Verses 10 and 11. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous, And shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart." Plainly, eternal ruin waits for the sinner who will not repent. God is warned in many ways, in many places in His Word. And even in this one brief life, fragile at best, that a person lives on this globe, there's still trouble. There's sorrow. Wealth can't take sorrow away. Success. It's only temporary. Friends and position won't do. For those who trust the Lord, everywhere you can look, you will find His mercy. It compasses you about. Paul wrote, Rejoice evermore. 1 Thessalonians 5. That means rejoice always. And if you can come on Wednesday night, I know for a fact, Dr. Mazak will welcome your words of praise to God. You're rejoicing that Christ has done what he has done and he is who he is. We should do it all the time. This is just one of our special occasions. But rejoicing and joy is a hallmark of the righteous. They're called the upright in heart as they walk with God in this life. Jesus' beatitude that parallels this is, blessed are the pure in heart. They shall see God. And Revelation tells us that His name will be upon them and they will serve Him. Psalm 32. Written by a man who experienced it. And it knows it. A psalm about the blessedness of God's forgiveness. We need to experience it, too. Let's pray. Gracious Father, we thank you for the wonderful revelation you've given. You tell us about yourself, you tell us about ourselves. Not only our problem, but how you have dealt with it. Through your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. As the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts through your word. We pray that will respond in the way that will please you. That will have blessing instead of chastening. That will see your face. And not look to anything else. Thank you for all that you've done for us and the promises that are sure. Thank you that we can come to you through the perfect merit and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.