Even as David also David is fitly introduced after Abraham, because he also received and delivered down the promise; describeth the blessedness or happiness of the man Or affirms that the man is blessed, or happy; unto whom God imputeth righteousness Or whom he accounts righteous, accepts as such; without works That is, without regard to any former good works supposed to have been done by him. Saying, Blessed Greek, μακαριοι, happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven Are no longer laid to their charge, and therefore whose obligation to punishment is cancelled. Whose sins are covered
With the veil of divine mercy, being expiated by the atoning sacrifice of the Messiah. Blessed, or happy, is the man to whom Though he hath sinned formerly, perhaps very often, and very heinously, yet the Lord will not impute sin Here four expressions, the forgiveness of sin, the non- imputation of sin, the imputation of righteousness, and justification, are used as synonymous. Well might the psalmist say, that those who receive this inestimable blessing are happy; for surely, if there be such a thing as happiness on earth, it is the portion of that man whose iniquities are forgiven: and who enjoys the manifestation of that pardon, with all the blessed effects of it! Well may he endure all the afflictions of life with cheerfulness, and look upon death with comfort! O let us not contend against it, but earnestly pray that this happiness may be ours! We may observe further here, that these two examples of Abraham and David are selected and applied with the utmost judgment and propriety. Abraham was the most illustrious pattern of piety among the Jewish patriarchs, David was the most eminent of their kings. If then neither of these was justified by his own obedience, if they both obtained acceptance with God not as holy beings, who might claim it, but as sinful creatures who must implore it, the consequence is glaring. It is such as must strike every attentive understanding, and must affect every individual person.