What is the secret to true happiness? For thousands of years people of this world have been searching for exactly that – true happiness. The problem is that many people are searching in all the wrong places. Some seek happiness in other people, in job success, and in worldly luxuries. Others seek happiness in more destructive things – sins of the flesh, alcohol, drugs, etc. The secret to true happiness does not come from inside of us, or from other people, or from material possessions. The secret of true happiness comes from outside of us and outside of the world. It comes from God.

This morning, God’s Word unveils to us the secret of true happiness in the words of Psalm 32. May God bless this message in our hearts, minds, and souls and may he bring us the true happiness that he wants us to have. Let us repent of our sins, receive God’s forgiveness, and respond with joy.

People throughout time have tried to deal with their guilt over sin in many ways. We can find these examples all around us and inside of each of us. Today, though, I would like to point you to some examples in the Bible where people dealt with guilt in different ways. As I recall these examples, examine yourselves to see if you have dealt with your guilt in similar ways.

Let’s start at the beginning. Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, disobeyed God. In order to deal with the guilt of their sin, they hid from God. When confronted with their sin, they blamed others. Adam blamed Eve for his sin. Eve blamed the serpent for her sin.

Not long after that, Cain murdered his own brother Abel. When God came to Cain to address his sin, Cain played dumb. He pretended it never happened. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Now let’s jump to the New Testament where we see two examples that are on our minds during the season of Lent. Judas betrayed the Son of God for a few pieces of silver, handing him over to the enemy to be arrested, tried, and crucified. When the reality set in about his sin, he fell into deep despair. When Judas realized he couldn’t make things right, his despair led him to take his own life.

At pretty much the same time, Peter denied his Lord and Savior with loud oaths and cursing. He turned his back on Jesus to save his own skin. Peter’s guilt overwhelmed him and he crumpled down outside the city and wept.

We have four examples – blaming others for sin, pretending sin never happened, despairing over sin, and being filled with sorrow over sin. It is important that we recognize ourselves here. It is vital that we see how we deal with sin. The guilt that sin brings can literally destroy us. It can sap all happiness from our lives.

That is what happened with the author of Psalm 32, King David. His sins were black as night. He lusted after a married woman. He brought her into his bed. He killed her husband. And for a whole year, David remained unrepentant for his sins. He denied his guilt and it took a huge toll on him. It sapped the happiness from his entire life. Listen to how he describes the effects of that guilt. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” Literally, his body was wrecked and wasted away. He felt the weight of God’s righteous anger upon him. He lost his strength and his will.

God saw his anguish and sent the prophet Nathan to address his sin. Nathan told the king a story of a rich man who stole a poor man’s little lamb so that he could have a feast. David’s anger burned against that rich man. That is when Nathan courageously proclaimed to David, “You are the man.” The law came down squarely on the sinner and was meant to crush him.

That same law comes down on us. It blasts away at our stubborn excuses for sin. It destroys our cover-ups. It puts the blame squarely on us for all of our disobedience – our sins of lust, pride, gossip, laziness, and all the others. The law backs us into a corner and says, “Repent of your sin! And until you do you will waste away. God’s hand will be heavy upon you. Your strength will be sapped as in the heat of summer.”

King David, after a year of impenitence, finally realized this and he repented. He confessed to the prophet Nathan and said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” In our sermon text he wrote, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” May we all do the same. May we all fall on our knees and confess our transgressions to the Lord. Let us admit our guilt and put ourselves at the mercy of God.

That is what Kind David did. He had lost all happiness in his life and through the Word of God spoken by Nathan the prophet; he was led to confess his sins. Immediately Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin.” Sure there was still a terrible price to be paid for that sin, but David received a temporal punishment that paled in comparison to the price that was paid to remove his guilt for all eternity. That price was paid by the Son of God. That price was paid in blood on the cross. That price redeemed David from the devil and removed his guilt for all time. God no longer saw his sins. They were cast as far as the east is from the west. King David wrote in Psalm 32, “and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

That is where true happiness is for you and me also. When we confess our transgressions, God assures us through his messengers and through his Word that he has forgiven the guilt of our sin. Sure there are temporal consequences for our sins, but the eternal punishment has been removed by the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus. This Lenten season as you are reminded of the great suffering of Jesus, remember that Jesus went through it all for you. He made the greatest sacrifice to remove your guilt. He died and rose again so that your sins would be forgiven. Remember that the forgiveness won by Christ our Savior comes directly to you through the grace of God, his undeserved love for you. He remembers your sin no more for it has been cast as far as the east is from the west. That is where true happiness is – having our sins forgiven and being right with God again. Receive that forgiveness with happiness.

David was truly happy after confessing and being forgiven. He exclaims in this Psalm how we too are to respond with joy to God’s forgiveness. “Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” And then in verse 11 he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” Those who feel the happiness of forgiveness pray and trust that when the floodwaters of judgment come, there is nothing to fear from the Almighty. God is their refuge.

I hope and pray that you see the secret of true happiness. When we repent of our sins and receive God’s forgiveness, it changes us. It lifts the dark veil of despair and lets the love of God shine in our hearts, minds and souls. Respond, then, with joy. As Christians, we have no reason to mope around, to be filled with gloom and doubt. God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ fills us with happiness. Rejoice and sing so that you praise and others see your happiness.

David began Psalm 32 with, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.” We can justifiably read the word “Blessed” here with “How happy is …” How happy is he whose transgressions are forgiven. How happy is he who sins are covered. How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him. That is the secret of true happiness. If you have been filled with anger, doubt, or despair lately, look deep inside of yourself and confess your sins to God. Then hear about his love that forgives all sins, including yours. Trust in that forgiveness and be filled with joy. God forgives you. AMEN.