IN the course of his argument in the Epistle to the Romans the Apostle has a striking comment the force of which is not readily grasped by the ordinary reader. The Apostle is making his appeal to the Old Testament Scriptures in support of the doctrine of justification by faith and says:—”But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. iv. 4-7).
Dr. William Binnie, in his The Psalms: Their History, Teachings and Use, has the following illuminative comment on the Apostle’s words: “The Apostle’s way of interpreting the text [Ps. xxxii.] is remarkable. Finding David celebrating the non-imputation of iniquity he construes this to mean the imputation of righteousness. Some have made bold to challenge the legitimacy of the construction, and have contended that the Apostle quotes David’s words by way of accommodation. But the interpretation is strictly correct. For what are the sins whose non-imputation is so gratefully celebrated? Are they the man’s positive transgressions only? His sins of commission? That cannot be. For in that case the non-imputation would still leave the man under the ban of God’s holy law. A sin of omission may sink a soul in perdition as surely as a sin of commission—’inasmuch as ye did it not’—will be the word of condemnation to many in the Great Day. It must therefore be the non-imputation of all sins of either kind, that David celebrates: Now, if God impute to a man
neither his transgressions of the law nor his omissions of duty, he treats him as a man who has fulfilled all righteousness, which is just to say that He imputes to him righteousness without works.
This brings out very clearly the nature of the benefit which the Scriptures celebrate under the title of Justification. It is forgiveness and something more. When a pardon comes down from the Crown, to some condemned felon, it cancels the sentence, and opens the prison door, but there its effect ceases. It does not restore the wretch to his former standing in society. He is a marked man for life. Very different is the pardon God bestows on those who, trusting in His mercy, confess their sins. They are justified by their faith. For Christ’s sake they are treated as righteous persons—as persons who had perfectly obeyed the law. God imputes to them righteousness even the righteousness of Christ in whom they trust. Well, it is to be observed, that although the ground of justification is not plainly declared in the Psalms—could not be plainly declared until Christ died—the truth of justification is plainly revealed. And, as I said before, this truth which comes up in clear articulate statement in the thirty-second psalm, underlies all the rest. The voice which makes itself heard in the songs of God’s Israel is not the voice of a prodigal who has been forgiven merely, and offered to take a place among the servants of his father’s house. It is the voice of a son, rejoicing in all the inexpressible joys of sonship and compassed about with songs of deliverance. Thus David sings in the hundred and third psalm:—
‘Bless Jehovah, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless Jehovah, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquity;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth from the pit thy life;
Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’
Not according to our sins hath He done unto us,
And not according to our iniquities hath he recompensed unto us.
For as high as heaven is above the earth,
So mighty is his loving kindness toward them that fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children,
So Jehovah pitieth them that fear Him.’
God’s people held forth in the Psalms are regenerated also. A clean heart has been created in them, a right spirit has been put within them. The feelings which everywhere find utterance are redolent of holiness as well as peace, and correspond at every point to those of the spiritual man whom the Apostles contrast with the natural man” (page 253).