Psalm 32:1
1 A Psalm of David [David],
Maschil [maskiyl].
Blessed ['esher] is he whose
transgression [pesha`] is forgiven [nasa'], whose sin [chata'ah] is
covered [kacah]. KJV-Interlinear
1 A
Psalm of David. A Maskil.
How
blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! NASB
This, on the surface, is
a very simple psalm. It reveals some of the
most dramatic principles regarding the four categories of evil, that are
disclosed in the Bible.
First, the word ‘Maschil,’
means instruction, or the giving of instruction with the highest priority,
because it is the highest instruction dealing with the guilt of sin, and the
phenomenal blessing from Gods provision in pardon, holiness, justification, and
sanctification.
These first two verses
introduce the concepts of transgression, sin, iniquity, and guile. So they require a definition first.
Transgression, ‘pesha,’
the passing over of a boundary, doing that which is prohibited.
Sin, ‘chataah,’ the
missing of a mark, not doing what is commanded, expresses sinfulness leading to
sin in the future or the pattern of sin, thus causing transgression.
Iniquity, ‘avon,’ turning
away from a proper course or situation, moral distortion, perversion, contrary
to equity or justice.
Guile, ‘ramiyah,’ fraud,
deceit, cleaverness, cunning, traschery.
These last two are
mentioned in verse two, which we will cover tomorrow.
There are three methods
of dealing with these evils. The cures
of evil are forgiving, covering, and not imputing.
Transgression, must be
forgiven, ‘nasa,’ born away, i.e., by a mediated sacrifice, for bearing sin, or
bearing away sin to something or someone else, for sin to be carried away or
transferred to someplace else.
Sin, must be covered, ‘kacah,’
hidden from the sight. It is the odious and abominable, the putrid, the stench,
and must be put out of sight, washed off, covered, removed and buried
permanently.
Iniquity, must not be
imputed, ‘chashab,’ must not be reckoned to ones account, not assigned, not
recorded, not connected with.
Guile, must be
annihilated from the soul, no guile, obliterated, defeated, routed, crushed, permanently
destroyed.
Therefore for the person
whose transgression is forgiven or carried away to somewhere else,
whose sin is buried,
covered or hidden, God having cast it as a heavy weight into the depths of the
sea,
whose iniquity and
perversion is not assigned to his account,
and whose guile of the
deceitful and desperately wicked heart, is annihilated, being emptied of sin
and filled with
righteousness, is the happy person.
Only God can accomplish
this solution, and Jesus Christ did just that.
To reject Christ is to
pursue or align yourself with evil, and what would that make you?
