Forgiving The Unforgivable Series

Forgiving the Unforgivable

Psalm 32

Rev. Brian Bill

August 9-10, 2025

So many things today fight for out attention and strive to capture our hearts. Let’s begin with some class discussion. I’m going to ask a few questions and I’ll put your answers on the white board.

Q: What creates distance between us and God?

Q: What sins most trip us up?

Q: What common idols do we worship today?

This is how Pastor Chris began his message to the students at the start of their Missions Camp on July 31.

Our text today is Psalm 32. Let’s read it together.

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. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Here’s our main idea: We must uncover and confess our sins if we want God to cover and cleanse us.

Background

Before we jump into the text, here are a few background truths.

• David is the human author. While he was a great king and walked with God for much of his life, we also know that David committed adultery, murder, and deceit. He had taken another man’s wife and then that man’s life. He wrote this Psalm to help us know we can be fully restored and completely forgiven no matter what we’ve done.

• Psalm 32 has also been referred to as one of “Paul’s Psalms” because it is quoted extensively in Romans 4:6-8 to help establish how we are declared righteous not because of what we’ve done, but because of what Christ has done on the Cross.

• As we see in the introduction, this is a “maskil,” which is a literary or musical term to indicate this instruction is extremely important. In other words, this is a “preaching Psalm” given to us that we can learn from the experiences of David. While we don’t know for sure, this instruction is likely the application of Psalm 51:13: “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.”

• The word “Selah” is used three times in this Psalm. Most versions of the Bible do not attempt to translate “Selah” but simply transliterate the word straight from the Hebrew. It likely refers to a musical rest, in which singers stopped singing to take a breath so only the musical instruments could be heard. According to one Bible dictionary, it can also signify a musical crescendo followed by silent reflection. The Septuagint, which is the earliest Greek translation of the Old Testament, translates “Selah” as “intermission.”

The idea is to get us to take a breath in order to reflect and remember. The Amplified Version renders it: “Pause and calmly think about that.” It’s in the imperative, meaning this is something we’re commanded to do. We could say it like this: In the midst of our problems, let’s pause, pivot and praise. Because the word “Selah” appears three times in this passage, we’ll follow this natural outline by pausing, pivoting and praising each time we come across it.

Let’s see how God forgives the unforgivable.

1. Forgiveness received (1-5). Listen to verses 1-2: “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” has a very rich meaning. We could say, “How happy!” or “Congratulations to,” or, “Oh, the bliss of!” In addition, it’s in the plural so it reads, “Oh, the multiple happinessess, the bundles of blessings and genuine joy to the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”