Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Psalms+032

 

Psalm 32 (ESV)

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!

 

REFLECTION:

 

  1. Owning up when we do something wrong really hurts. There’s the shame, the embarrassment, the fear of punishment, and the sense of vulnerability.
  2. Yet, David affirms that the forgiven man is blessed. Unconfessed sin distorts our relationship with the Lord.  But when we acknowledge our sin, He not only forgives us, He restores us to intimate fellowship with Him.  Once again, He leads us in His ways.  No wonder David, his restoration now complete, cried out in joy and gladness at this psalm’s end.
  3. Consider whether there are sins in the past for which you are guilty but have never sought forgiveness. Name those things. Ask God’s forgiveness for what you have done wrong, and experience His grace. Pray for wisdom and courage to ask forgiveness from the person you’ve wronged.

 

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

 

HYMN:

Forgiven – www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRlrcY9tx3U