REJOICING IN FORGIVENESS

This psalm (according to A. Maclaren) records David’s experience in the dark time when, for a whole year, he lived impenitent after his great sin, and then was broken down by Nathan’s message and restored to peace through pardon following swiftly on penitence. As David gives sweet expression to the relief of forgiveness and the recovery of fellowship with God, he speaks for all of us. Verses 1 and 2 alone are sufficient evidence that in O.T. days God had shed enough spiritual light for His people to enjoy both His pardon and the peace flowing from it. The process begins (as it always must) with confession, for verse 5 records, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin”.

Confession is a humbling task but vital to recovery and the resumption of spiritual progress. W. Graham Scroggie, in his book Method in Prayer, wrote these weighty words, “Oh how difficult it is to give expression in words to the sorrow of our hearts for sin; they are upon our lips as burning coals; and the sound of them fills us with shame”.

David received God’s forgiveness for crimes which merited the severest judgment. But a review of his subsequent experiences (from 2 Samuel 13 onwards) makes it clear that his sins caused enduring sorrows for himself and the royal family. May we conclude, then, that God’s pardon was only partial after all? Certainly not; it is thorough and unreserved, in anticipation of Christ’s redemptive work at Calvary. It remains true, however, that God’s people cannot escape the earthly consequences of their sins, for Paul stated an abiding principle when he wrote, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”, Gal. 6. 7.

1 John 1 deals with the issues of sin, forgiveness and cleansing; John then writes, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not”, 2. 1. We shall never be perfect down here, but we ought to be making constant progress towards that goal.

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”, 2 Pet. 3. 18.