Whose Sin Is Covered

Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven,whose sin is covered.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

The psalm opens with a blessing on the person whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sin is covered. It starts from the relief, not the guilt. The story of how that relief came is told in the verses that follow.

Also read Matthew 5:3-12, Psalm 1:1-2, Psalm 45:1, Luke 11:28

Blessed is the man to whom the LORD doesn’t impute iniquity,in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

A second blessing adds to the first: the LORD does not count this person's iniquity, and there is no deceit in his spirit. Forgiveness and honesty go together. Romans 4:7 and 8 in the New Testament quote verses 1 and 2.

Also read 2 Corinthians 1:12, Leviticus 17:4, Romans 5:13, Revelation 14:5

When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Here the story begins. While the speaker kept silent about his sin, his bones wasted away and he groaned all day long. Hiding it brought no relief.

Also read Job 30:17, Isaiah 51:20, Jeremiah 31:18-19, Isaiah 59:11

For day and night your hand was heavy on me.My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah.

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

The silence is described as pressure from God. His hand was heavy day and night, and the speaker's strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. The word Selah follows, as it does after verses 5 and 7.

Also read Psalm 22:15, Psalm 38:2-8, 1 Samuel 5:6-7, Psalm 39:10-11

I acknowledged my sin to you.I didn’t hide my iniquity.I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

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. Selah.

This is the turning point. The speaker stops hiding, acknowledges his sin and says he will confess to the LORD. The forgiveness comes in the same verse, with no gap between the confession and the answer.

Also read Psalm 103:12, Jeremiah 2:23, Psalm 38:18, Proverbs 28:13

For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found.Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

The personal story becomes advice for others. Everyone who is godly should pray at a time when God may be found. When the great waters overflow, a picture of overwhelming trouble, they will not reach such a person.

Also read Psalm 69:13-15, Psalm 34:2-5, Psalm 40:3, Psalm 4:3

You are my hiding place.You will preserve me from trouble.You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Earlier the speaker hid his sin. Now he calls God his hiding place, the one who keeps him from trouble and surrounds him with songs of deliverance.

Also read Psalm 5:12, Judges 5:1, Psalm 40:3, Revelation 15:2-3

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go.I will counsel you with my eye on you.

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

This verse is a promise of guidance: I will instruct you, teach you the way to go, and counsel you with my eye on you. The text does not name the speaker. The picture is of close, personal attention rather than a set of rules.

Also read Psalm 25:8-10, Psalm 34:11, Proverbs 4:1-13, Proverbs 3:5-6

Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding,who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you.

Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

The promise comes with a warning. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding and must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come near. The contrast is with coming willingly.

Also read Jeremiah 4:22, James 3:3, Jeremiah 8:6-7, James 4:7-10

Many sorrows come to the wicked,but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the LORD.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

The psalm sums up with a contrast. The wicked have many sorrows, but loving kindness surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. The idea of being surrounded echoes verse 7.

Also read Psalm 5:12, Psalm 16:4, Psalm 34:19-21, Proverbs 13:21

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous!Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

The last verse is a call to celebrate. The righteous and the upright in heart are told to be glad, rejoice and shout for joy. The psalm that began with a hidden sin ends in open joy.

Also read Psalm 32:2, Psalm 98:4, 1 Samuel 2:1, Psalm 68:3