Psalm 32: Forgiven

Psalm 32: 1 - 5 (NLT) Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Psalm 32: 1 - 5 (NCV) Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the person whom the Lord does not consider guilty and in whom there is nothing false. When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long. Day and night you punished me. My strength was gone as in the summer heat. Then I confessed my sins to you and didn't hide my guilt. I said, "I will confess my sins to the Lord," and you forgave my guilt.

There are numerous other translations but I was never touched by them, not I never meditated on them so that the way I was touched was lasting. But as we read this at church this morning, these passages touched me. I don't remember which translation but the two above are close to what we read.

Maybe the combination with the New Testament reading is the reason that I got these today. It was read with the parable of the Prodigal Son as the context. The son was miserable until he decided he needed to confess, stop hiding his guilt and plead for forgiveness.

That is what is in this passage. What joy and peace can be found when we quit trying to hide what can't be hidden, when we recognize our faults, failures, disobedience, when we are humbled to our knees and beg for forgiveness. But we really don't need to beg. God just waits for us to acknowledge our disobedience to Him and ask him for pardon. Jesus already did the work. We just have to acknowledge.

Notice the words that are used: happy and joy. Disobedience, guilt, sins. God forgave. You can hear the author's glee where he originally felt "Weak deep inside", "groaned all day long", "wasted away". Guilt is a heavy burden that forgiveness takes away. Where there was heaviness, there is joy and happiness. Where there was wasting away and groaning, there is "Oh, what joy.."

Confession may sound like religious legalism but in reality is a physical necessity. God knows how He made us. Guilt is a weighty thing that robs us of joy and happiness. God knows that and allows us an easy way to release the weight and burden of guilt. Confession. Confess to those you wrong. Confess to God. Confess to someone who will not judge you but will listen with love. Then accept the forgiveness. By accepting forgiveness, we allow God to take the heaviness of the guilt away. What a gift. A gift so large, we no longer waste away, or groan, or are burdened.

You are forgiven. Jesus did that for you. Accept the reality of it and feel "Oh, What Joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven."

Father God, I am a sinner. I disobey you like I breath air. Please forgive me. Wash me with the a righteousness rag to change my behavior and attitude. Make me whole. Show me areas where I continue to fail and help me overcome my obstinance. With the help of the Holy Spirit and cleansing power of Jesus Chris, may it be in Your will. Amen

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