Sin: A Weighty Matter

Daily Bread

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From the psalms we read,

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (Psalm 32:1-2 – NASB)

“Sin” is becoming a word not so well received in churches today. Many churches are developing ways to teach and preach around it, not wanting to make folks in the pews uncomfortable, not wanting to possibly cause one’s self-esteem to be negatively affected. This avoidance of such an important subject matter as “sin” will, I believe, become more and more prevalent in the church as the days wind down to the coming of our Lord. Don’t want to upset people! Don’t want to drive them away from coming to church! Don’t want people to think we don’t want them to be happy!

This psalm 32 is what biblical teachers have described as one of the seven penitential psalms. It is considered a psalm of confession and repentance. It was written by King David and is linked to his “sin” with Bathsheba (cf. II Samuel 11-12).

At the heading of this psalm is the title, “A Maskil.” Dr. Henry Morris has noted that, “a psalm with this heading is for instruction,” that “Maskil equals instruction.” That would make this penitential psalm of David one that the Holy Spirit would have us take “instruction” from. It would be a particular Scripture that we need to “contemplate,” to “observe thoughtfully,” just as the word “Maskil” implies.

In the very beginning of our text three Old Testament words for “sin” are used. Dr. John MacArthur writes that these three words “appear respectively as rebellion, failure, and perversion.”

David had attempted to skirt his “sin,” to ignore his “transgression,” to allow “deceit” to be a way in which he could keep on living as he had chosen to do. He had lusted after Bathsheba, he had arranged to have her husband murdered, and he had sexual relations with her, a married woman, relations that led to her becoming pregnant. All of this David had done, and now he was attempting to keep silent, to ignore the weighty matter of his sin . . .

“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” (Psalm 32:3-4 – NASB)

It did not work for the King, the man of whom it was said was “after” God’s “own heart” (Acts 13:22). And I suggest to you brethren, that you and I cannot get it to work either. We cannot avoid the weighty matter of our “sin.” if we attempt, like David, to maneuver around our “sin,” if we seek a hiding place of relief from our “transgressions,” then surely if we are in Christ, if we attempt to keep “silent,” we also will experience what David experienced; God’s “hand . . . heavy upon” us, our “vitality . . . drained.” And we will cry out just as David did,

“I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD;’ And thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5-6 – NASB)

Our “sin,” our “transgressions,” our “deceit,” they will prove to be a very heavy load to we who belong to Christ, to the church, the body of believers He has redeemed, if we seek to keep “silent” about them, seek to “hide” them and thus embrace the world’s belief that they are detrimental to a proper view of one’s image and pursuits that are rooted in self.

Confession and repentance lead to the acknowledgement,

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!”

“How blessed” indeed!

Have a good day brethren . . . and if you would, take some time to read psalm 32 and contemplate its inspired words. Receive its instruction, and make it a daily part of your walk as a disciple of Christ.

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