Psalm 32/Notes/Lexical.v. 1.982977

v. 1 – The verb נשׂא comes from" a common Semitic root referring to the physical movement of raising, lifting up, and carrying, along with every conceivable association" (TDOT). In the current context of sin (cf. v. 5), this concrete physical sense could entail "lifting up" ➞ "carrying away." The image is similar to that of Ps 103:12, though there the hiphil רחק is used: "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed (הִֽרְחִ֥יק) our transgressions from us" (NIV). One of the fundamental images of the verb נשׂא being used in the context of forgiveness of sins is that of the scapegoat in Leviticus 16, where v. 22 says "The goat will carry (וְנָשָׂ֨א) on itself (עָלָ֛יו) all their sins (אֶת־כָּל־עֲוֺנֹתָ֖ם) to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness" (NIV). In light of the nominal uses of this root (see, e.g., מַשָּׂא and מַשְׂאֵת "load, burden," BDB), there seems to be more to the root נשׂא in this context than simply removal. Indeed, SDBH defines the verb as "literally: to bear; hence: = action by which humans or deities let go of any anger or resentment with regard to the wrongdoing or sin of (other) humans." Thus, more so than simply carrying away (which is true in the case of the scapegoat of Lev 16 and Ps 103:12), the forgiving entity carries upon itself (see עָלָ֛יו in Lev 16:22) the shame, guilt or punishment (TDOT) without enacting just retribution, as shown by parallel contexts containing √עבר: "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin (נֹשֵׂ֤א עָוֺן֙) and forgives transgression (וְעֹבֵ֣ר עַל־פֶּ֔שַׁע)" (Mic 7:18; NIV). For a similar sense, see Pss 25:18 with forgiveness of חַטָּאת and 85:3 with forgiveness of עָוֹן.