Brian Maloy

It’s important to consider where we came from last week, Psalm 38. It leaned into the idea of conviction. That conviction is actually a tremendous blessing from the Holy Spirit. God uses even our own sin, which we are made aware of by the law, to convict our hearts of a need to repent — leading us then to forgiveness from Yahweh who is faithful and just to forgive. It’s overwhelming when we slow down, and ponder these things. That alone… wow.

Make Note of: “Blessed”

Psalm 32 starts so beautifully with two “How Blessed” statements. 

• How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!
• How blessed is the man whose iniquity Yahweh will not take into account, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!

We see this awesome back and forth. David’s perspective. Then God’s character, goodness, and faithfulness shines all the brighter. 

BUT, look at how the change in the person now, after considering God’s character and forgiveness — it changes the person. Their trust and obedience in Yahweh brings about a deep abiding sense of joy, blessedness. Amazing cause and effect if we boiled it down to something so trite. 

While Psalm 32:1–2 declares the blessedness of the forgiven — for those who have turned to God in trust and humility, joy isn’t just emotional relief; it’s restoration of relationship. Even better — We see this connection all over scripture!

For Example:

Trusting God Brings Peace and Joy

• Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…” → Trust isn’t passive—it opens the floodgates of divine joy and hope.
• Psalm 28:7 – “My heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy…” → Trust leads to help, and help leads to heartfelt praise.

Obedience Fulfills Us

• John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commands.”
• 1 John 5:3 – “This is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”

Trust and Obey (there is no other way)

• Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the Lord… in all your ways submit to Him…”
• Psalm 37:4–5 – “Delight yourself in the Lord… Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him…”

Blessed and Joyful

Some translations translate Verses 1 & 2 as “Blessed” and others as “Joyful”. While these certainly run right alongside one another, I thought it was noteworthy to consider the meaning of joy. It’s MORE than simple happiness. I am happy when I have a bowl of Blue Bell Moollennium Crunch, believe me… but then I am sad when the bowl is gone, and I should NOT go back for seconds. Joy drinks from a far deeper well than happiness.

Biblical joy is far more than a fleeting emotion—it’s a deep, resilient gladness rooted in the character, promises, and presence of God. Joy, in Scripture, is:

An inner gladness and contentment produced by the Holy Spirit, grounded in the beauty and sufficiency of Christ, and sustained through every season—even suffering.

• The Hebrew word שִׂמְחָה (simchah) conveys celebration, delight, and inner rejoicing.
• The Greek word χαρά (chara) emphasizes joy that flows from spiritual realities, not external conditions (cf. John 15:11).
• Joy is listed as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), meaning it’s cultivated by divine presence, not human effort.
• It’s often paired with endurance (James 1:2), worship (Psalm 16:11), and hope (Romans 15:13).

Look to the FOUR Types of Sin

Notice just in verses 1 & 2, FOUR different words are used for sin. 

1. Transgression
   1. pesha
   2. b.chata’, avon, and pesha — defiance or breach of trust, often relational in nature.

• Sin
  1. chattā’ah / chata’
  2. “To miss the mark” — a general term for falling short of God’s standard, whether intentional or not.
• Iniquity
  1. avon
  2. “Crookedness” — moral distortion or guilt, often referring to the inner bent or twisted nature of sin.
• Deceit 
  1. mirmah / aqav
  2. “Fraud, treachery” — misleading others, often tied to betrayal or hidden motives.

They are 4 different Hebrew words for sin — which really helps drive home the many aspects of sin, it’s both simple and sadly complex. 

BUT there is hope, looking to V. 5 — Psalm 32:5 uses all three — chata’, avon, and pesha — to show the completeness of David’s confession and the true forgiveness.

Verses 3 & 4

This section is hard, much heavier. David is helping us to understand that he didn’t just “remain quiet”, he was refusing to admit his sin to God. Think about that! 

Think about how hard it can be to approach the Father, knowing our sin grieves His heart (Ps. 78:40, Genesis 6:6, Isaiah 63:10, 65:3, Hosea 12:14, Eph. 4:30). We struggle deeply to confess to Him, despite His omnipresent knowledge (Ps. 139:1-4, Heb. 4:13, Jer. 23:24). 

But then also consider, I personally know I have been so broken by my own sin, so distraught, that the only option is to fall at the Lord’s feet to beg His mercy. It’s such a weird dichotomy. We’ll hang onto some sins that eat away at us, whether we know it or not — not seeking forgiveness. But then something large and overwhelming helps us to run to our Father. What a beautiful mystery of the works of God. 

My FAVORITE WORD in the Bible!

In the NASB/LSB Translation, maybe others (I think the NKJV does some), a word comes up regularly, and makes an appearance in Verse 10.

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in Yahweh, lovingkindness shall surround him.” (Ps. 32:10 LSB)

I love the word “lovingkindness”. It just gets me every time. When the Hebrew word Hesed shows up, I most certainly lean in more. Hesed is truly one of my favorite words in the Bible. In some translations it is written “faithful love”, or “steadfast love”, but my absolute favorite is NASB/LSB. All that wonderfulness squished into ONE word, lovingkindness. If there is one word that describes God’s character in my heart — it is that, lovingkindness. 

Forgiveness Transforms

Back to our topic at hand. Forgiveness is such a blessing. BUT it’s hard. It’s hard because our own sin (perhaps the very sin for which we should seek forgiveness) and our foolish human pride, blind us, and bind us. We are trapped by our own sin.

Psychological Reasons We Resist Asking Forgiveness:

According to research from the Stanford Forgiveness Project and others:

• Fear of Shame: Admitting fault threatens our self-image. We fear being seen as weak, flawed, or unworthy.
• Loss of Control: Asking forgiveness puts us in a position of dependence. We can’t control the outcome—only offer the request.
• Justification Reflex: We often rationalize our behavior (“I had no choice,” “They misunderstood”) to avoid facing the full weight of our actions.
• Emotional Risk: Vulnerability is risky. What if the other person rejects us, mocks us, or doesn’t forgive?
• Cognitive Dissonance: We want to believe we’re good people. Admitting wrongdoing creates internal conflict.

Theological Reasons We Resist Asking Forgiveness:

Drawing from C.S. Lewis and biblical theology:

• We Confuse Forgiveness with Excusing: Lewis warns that we often ask God to “accept our excuses” rather than truly confess. True forgiveness requires naming the sin, not softening it.
• Pride and Self-Justification: Like Adam and Eve hiding in the garden, we instinctively cover ourselves rather than come clean.
• Fear of Divine Displeasure: We may wrongly believe that God’s love is conditional, and that confession risks rejection.
• Misunderstanding Grace: We forget that forgiveness is not earned — it’s received. Asking feels transactional, but grace is relational.

“Ask God to forgive you, not to excuse you.” — C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Why Asking Forgiveness Is Transformative

• It restores relationship, not just moral standing.
• It opens the door to healing, both emotionally and spiritually.
• It reflects the heart of the gospel.

How Then Should We Live?

Biblical Ways to Live in Christ’s Forgiveness

1. Worship with Gladness
   1. Psalm 32 ends with: “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
   2. Forgiveness leads to praise — not just quiet gratitude, but also sincere real celebration.
2. Testimony and Evangelism
   1. Sharing the story of our own forgiveness magnifies God’s grace and invites others into it (Psalm 51:13).
   2. Joy becomes contagious when it’s shared and spoken.
3. Obedience from the Heart
   1. Romans 6:17–18 describes believers as freed from sin and now “slaves to righteousness.”
   2. Joy in forgiveness leads to joyful submission — not duty, but delighting in the Lord, Yahweh.
4. Extending Forgiveness to Others
   1. Ephesians 4:32: “Forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
   2. The forgiven become forgivers, when we understand we have been forgiven in BIG ways, we can forgive as such.
5. Living with Peace and Confidence
   1. Psalm 32 contrasts the misery of hidden sin with the peace of confession.
   2. Joy is expressed in a life no longer haunted by guilt, but anchored in grace. Every single day.