December 4
Reading: Psalm 32
A Maskil of David.
1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you
at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
We read in 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This psalm is the prayer application for those two verses.
David begins with a blessing that serves as an introduction to the prayer. It is not wonderful when my sin is forgiven and covered? It is. Doesn’t it feel amazing when my heart is honestly right with God? It does. Even secular psychotherapists say that everyone needs to feel forgiven.
But, how?
David tells us, using his own experience.
Some people will say, “David was an amazing king whose heart was humble and seeking God while my sins are many and horribly unforgivable.” But, consider this: David was an adulterer and a murderer, and he needed the prophet Nathan to come and personally confront him before he repented. I’m guessing that your sins are not as bad as David’s.
This psalm is a progression. In verses 3 and 4 David tells us what it feels like to be stuck in sin, hiding one’s guilt, and not getting right with God. After verse 4 comes the first guitar solo; or harp and tambourine. My guess is that it is of a somber tone.
Then, in verses 5-7 David helps us to see what confession really looks like. You are honest with God and with others and you experience God’s forgiveness. It is like being lifted above the waters in a flood and you can breathe again. You stop hiding from God and begin hiding in God. After verse 7 the guitarist is guitaring on his guitar with some exuberance.
Finally, in verses 8-11 David shows us what must happen after the confession of sin. You obey the Lord and follow His direction so that you sin no longer. Unlike the horse or the stubborn mule, you stay on the path of righteousness because you have learned that is the path of blessing. And, God actually watches over you to keep you on the path and give you abundant joy.
Do you have any sins you need to confess? Do you have some persistent habits that it is time to put to death? Do not wait. The opportunity for rescue may pass you by. (vs. 6) Today is the day for you to get right with God and maybe to get right with another person.