Psalm 32

Praise God for His awesome gift of salvation!  Psalm 32:1-2 says, Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  Blessed means happy or joyful.  Joyful is the individual whose sins have been forgiven by the Lord!

Experiencing the joy of God's forgiveness, however, depends on us first acknowledging and confessing our sins.  We need to run to the Lord in sorrowful repentance, and then we need to allow His Holy Spirit to shape our lives into something beautiful for God.  When we stubbornly refuse to acknowledge our sins, however, we will suffer consequences.  David was a child of God, but for a time in his life he stubbornly refused to acknowledge a serious sin in his life. Hence, David suffered spiritually, psychologically, and even physically.  David prayed to God in Psalm 32:3-4, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." We as children of God must be careful that we do not persist in deliberate sin and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge sin in our lives.

When we acknowledge our sins, the Lord receives us with open arms of forgiveness.  David prayed in Psalm 32:5, "Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,'- and you forgave the guilt of my sin."  When we acknowledge our sins the Lord forgives our sins.  He also promises to be with us every step of our lives!  The Lord directs our steps during both the pleasant and difficult circumstances of life.

When David finally acknowledged his sin he once again experienced the Lord's blessings on his life. David prayed in Psalm 32:6-7, "Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.  You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."

We must acknowledge our sins, and we must also seek the Lord.  Then we will experience the Lord's favor and blessing on our lives. A God who is willing to forgive our sins is also a God whom we can trust.  He is a God to whom we can devote our entire lives.  When "the mighty waters" of chaotic and difficult circumstances arise in our lives we can trust in the Lord's protection and provision for us. He is our "hiding place" and protection.  The Christian goes from victory to victory in his or her life. A Christian in thankfulness can then sing "songs of deliverance."

Experiencing God's victories in our lives is dependent on following God's will for our lives.  God said to David in Psalm 32:8 and says to us today. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."  God instructs us through His Holy Word, and we must immerse ourselves in His Holy Word every day.  God also directs us through the circumstances that He allows in our lives.  God is slowly shaping us into the people He wants us to become.  He is slowly instructing and teaching us in the way He wants us to go.

We must be submissive and not rebellious to the Lord's leading in our lives, however.  We must be careful that we are not "like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you." (Psalm 32:9)  Only in total submission to God's will do we experience the Lord's blessing and joy.  Psalm 32:10 says, "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."  Let us daily examine our lives for any unconfessed sins.  Let us confess those sins, and turn to the Lord in repentance.  Let us submit to God's will for our lives and experience His protection, blessing, joy, and "unfailing love."