How does Romans 4:7 connect with Psalm 32:1-2 on forgiveness and blessing? Setting the Scene Paul has just argued that Abraham was declared righteous by faith, not by works (Romans 4:1-5). To seal the point, he brings in David’s words from Psalm 32, showing that the same principle—righteousness credited apart from works—runs through the entire story line of Scripture. Psalm 32: David’s Testimony of Forgiveness • “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1) • David speaks as a man who knew failure (2 Samuel 11) yet experienced God’s restoring grace. • He highlights two actions by God: – Forgiving transgression—removing the guilt. – Covering sin—hiding it from sight, never to be exposed again. Romans 4: Paul Echoes David • “Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Romans 4:7) • Paul quotes David to prove that: – Justification has always been by grace through faith. – The blessedness David enjoyed is identical to the blessedness offered in the gospel. • Verse 8 continues the citation: “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” Shared Vocabulary: Forgiven, Covered, Not Counted • Forgiven (ἀφίημι)—release, send away; our sins are lifted off us (cf. Isaiah 53:6). • Covered (ἐπεκαλύφθη)—concealed, hidden; the blood of Christ is the true cover (Hebrews 9:12). • Not counted (λογίζεται)—never posted to our account; instead, righteousness is credited (Romans 4:3). Blessing Described: More Than a Feeling • Blessed (μακάριος) means permanently favored, approved by God. • The blessing is objective—rooted in what God has done, not in our performance. • Peace, joy, and confidence flow from this standing (Romans 5:1-2; Psalm 32:11). How Forgiveness Flows: Faith not Works • David’s era: sacrifices pointed forward; faith grasped the promise (Psalm 32:5; Hebrews 10:4). • Paul’s era—and ours: the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ accomplishes what the offerings only pictured (Hebrews 10:14-18). • Key link: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Implications for Us Today • We stand with Abraham and David—declared righteous by trusting God’s provision, not our merit. • The same joy David found after confession is ours whenever we “confess our sins” (1 John 1:9). • Because the Lord “will never count” our sin against us, we are free to: – Walk openly before Him without deceit (Psalm 32:2). – Extend forgiveness to others (Colossians 3:13). – Rejoice in the unchanging blessing secured by Christ (Romans 8:1). |
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