Psalm 32 — Forgiveness

A Psalm of David. Maschil.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old
Through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:
My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer.   Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid:
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD;
And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.   Selah
6 For this let every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found:
Surely when the great waters overflow they shall not reach unto him.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou wilt preserve me from trouble;
Thou wilt compass me about with songs of deliverance.   Selah
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:
I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding:
Whose trappings must be bit and bridle to hold them in,
Else they will not come near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:
But he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous:
And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Forgiveness is at hand; oh, that we might reach out to God and be forgiven! When we are forgiven, our deceit is done for we have no shame to hide. We're released from the pain of stress and anxiety. We are released from the pain of guilt and shame. What a blessing is found in the forgiveness of God.

While the mechanics and workings of salvation are not herein described, we see their fruits: peace and rejoicing. God's mercy is good - we need it so very much. Our sins cannot be hid. What we try to conceal cries out on its own, just as the blood of Abel cried out to God. David tells us that confession to God is the beginning of the great release from guilt, and he urges us to cry out our confession.

I love the urgency of vs. 6, "pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found." What if we wait? Don't delay! Share with your savior your sin; acknowledge your guilt to God. Ask him, as those who heard the first gospel sermon in Acts 2, "What must we do to be saved?" The answer then is the same answer today: "Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."