Psalm 32:1, 2 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Psalm 32 is A maskil, the first of 13 such in the book and the only one Of David. No biographical reference is given but it has been suggested that David may have written this psalm after repenting from his sin with Bathsheba. The opening two verses, parallel beatitudes, are quoted by Paul in Romans 4:6-8. They act as a sort of heading, the rest of the psalm first describing how David groaned under a sense of conviction for sin until (5) he confessed his sin and was forgiven. Then in verse 6 he exhorts all who are godly to seek God while he may be found. He then commits himself to the Lord again. It must be God who speaks in verses 8 and 9 saying I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Finally, there is a brief summary statement in verse 10 (Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him) and an exhortation to the righteous to sing and rejoice. The opening verses, then, state that the blessed man is not the man who has no transgressions or sins but the man whose transgressions and sins are forgiven or covered, whose sin the LORD does not count against him. Such a person is not without guilt but he has to be without guile - open about the fact that he is a sinner and willing to come to God. Paul rightly sees this as a declaration of justification by faith. It certainly does not teach justification by works, which is so widely believed. The way to blessing is by means of the open confession we see here from David. How God can justify sinners (through Christ's atonement) is explained elsewhere in the Bible.
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