Week 2 - Fall Focus 2024
Week Two: Forgiven and Free
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven…
(Psalm 32:1)
Ice breaker
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Opening Question
The Psalm this week talks about sin and forgiveness. Can anyone in the group give a definition of “sin”? Can anyone define “transgression”?
Like many Psalms this one is attributed to David. David was a notable king (His life story is contained in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. He was a Saint and a notorious sinner. Can anyone share what they know of the highlights and shadows of David’s life?
Further research: Who Is King David?
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
This Psalm is all about the importance of forgiveness. How would you define forgiveness?
It might be helpful to remember that it is a term borrowed from the world of finance. When we pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12) What are we praying?
Tim Keller writes: “The experience of divine forgiveness brings profound healing. It is grounded in a faith-sight of Jesus’s costly sacrifice for our forgiveness. That reminds us that we are sinners in need of mercy like everyone else, yet it also fills the cup of our hearts with his love and affirmation. This makes it possible for us to forgive the perpetrator and then go speak to him or her, seeking justice and reconciliation if possible. Now, however, we do not do it for our sake—but for justice’s sake, for God’s sake, for the perpetrator’s sake, and for future victims’ sake. The motivation is radically changed.”
Read v. 1-2
This psalm starts with a blessing. According to these verses, what kind of person is blessed?
What does the need for forgiveness tell us about the character of the blessed one?
Read v. 3-5
What do these verses tell us about the path to the blessing of forgiveness?
What do they tell us about the natural suffering of the unforgiven?
What do they tell us is required to experience forgiveness?
What to they show us about the power of confession?
Read v. 6-8
How is the invitation of these verses related to the offer of forgiveness?
What assurances and gifts are offered to those who are forgiven?
In v. 9-10 What does the imagery of the mule and the horse imply about us?
What is the connection between confession, forgiveness, and true freedom?
Look at verse 11—In light of the rest of the Psalm, what do you think he means by “righteous” in this verse?
IF You Have Time
For further insight into the Biblical meaning of “righteousness,” read Romans 3:20-26 How does this shed light on v. 11?
According to the verses in Romans, what is the connection between the work of Christ and the receiving of righteousness?