Read
(A special psalm by David.)
The Joy of Forgiveness
1 Our Lord, you bless everyone
whose sins you forgive
and wipe away.
2You bless them by saying,
“You told me your sins,
without trying to hide them,
and now I forgive you.”
3Before I confessed my sins,
my bones felt limp,
and I groaned all day long.
4Night and day your hand
weighed heavily on me,
and my strength was gone
as in the summer heat.
5So I confessed my sins
and told them all to you.
I said, “I'll tell the Lord
each one of my sins.”
Then you forgave me
and took away my guilt.
6We worship you, Lord,
and we should always pray
whenever we find out
that we have sinned.
Then we won't be swept away
by a raging flood.
7You are my hiding place!
You protect me from trouble,
and you put songs in my heart
because you have saved me.
8You said to me,
“I will point out the road
that you should follow.
I will be your teacher
and watch over you.
9Don't be stupid
like horses and mules
that must be led with ropes
to make them obey.”
10All kinds of troubles
will strike the wicked,
but your kindness shields those
who trust you, Lord.
11And so your good people
should celebrate and shout.
Reflect
Psalm 32 addresses the deepest and most severe of human conditions; our sinfulness. We all like sheep, have gone our own way (Isaiah 53:6). We know the painful consequences of our choices. We live as our own gods, rebelling against the rule of our Creator, and our behaviour shows it. All of us, like Adam and Eve, our first parents, attempt to conceal our sinfulness.
However, our gracious Father comes in his tender mercy. He exposes our need, confronts our sin. He offers the only remedy for our desperate condition (see Genesis 3). David, in Psalm 32 deals honestly with the onerous weight of sin concealed, and celebrates the joy of sin pardoned.
The Spirit of God works in us to convict us of sin. He searches us out. He knows what lies deep within. He discerns motives. He sees our actions and hears every word. He comes to us to make us holy as we trust in the word and work of God in us (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
Knowing the mercy of our God in Christ, let’s not hide our sin but confess it. Let’s not run from God but rather into his arms of compassion. Jesus is our remedy. He came to be our Saviour. He came to bear the weight of our guilt and shame. He came to provide forgiveness so that we might have fellowship, now and always with him.
Respond
Lord God whose mercies are infinite and whose forgiveness is complete, we praise you for so great a salvation. With you there is forgiveness. Our chains are gone and we declared righteous. Please give us a tender heart to sense your nudges of conviction. Search us out and make us holy that we might rejoice in you now and always. Amen.
Jody Cross
Dr. Jody Cross is a worship pastor, recording artist, author and worship ministry consultant. His passion is to glorify God by developing leaders, equip worship teams and lead God’s people in worship. Jody has released a book on worship and justice, This Is Our Love and has produced two award winning worship albums. Jody serves as Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church in Orillia, Ontario. Jody is married to Alexandra. They have four teenage children. Publications: This Is Our Love: Engaging a Broken World Through Worship CD’s: Forward To Forever Rekindle Rejoice: Christmas Worship