Psalm 32

The blessedness of forgiveness and trust in God. That is the subtitle for this Psalm in many Bibles. Blessed. The rich, full, happy life. That is what this song sings about.

Have you thought about what an amazing thing it is to live in the reality of forgiveness. Often people live out patterns of trying to avoid the reality of our own transgressions, either trying to convince others or ourselves that we are no guilty, that the fault lies everywhere, anywhere, but with us. It can take a lot of energy to continue to project and/or deflect.

What David sings about here, however, is the freedom that comes from coming clean, being honest, and standing in the presence of a holy God, and hearing that we are forgiven. No more hiding, no more deflection, but an opportunity to face things honestly, accept forgiveness, and in that place, now receive the strength to go forward clean and strengthened.

This is what Pastor Jon explores with us this morning - the freedom that comes from being honest in the presence of God, receiving God's grace, and allowing the love and grace of God to empower and change us. The abundance and fullness of God's love and grace opens the way for an abundant and grateful response, out of which we live genuinely transformed lives. Gratitude is a much healthier, transformational, and powerful motivator than stress, anxiety, and trying to make ourselves look better than we are.

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Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

1 Blessed is the one

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one

whose sin the Lord does not count against them

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,

my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night

your hand was heavy on me;

my strength was sapped

as in the heat of summer.

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.

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

while you may be found;

surely the rising of the mighty waters

will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be 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.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the Lord’s unfailing love

surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;

sing, all you who are upright in heart!