There are two Hebrew words used in the Old Testament to express the concept of forgiving. One is sālaḥ; the dictionary definition, predictably, says it means to forgive. But the other word is nāśā', and its primary meanings in the Hebrew dictionary are to lift up, to carry a heavy weight or to endure.
It highlights the truth that when God forgives our sin, it's not simply a matter of ignoring it, as if it weren't important. Instead, He is willing to carry its weight and endure the pain of it - best demonstrated in the way that Jesus carried the weight of our sin on the cross.
