Bible Study

Psalm 32:3-11 (NLT): " 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. Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him!

Psalm 32:3-11

"Forgiveness"

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" Psalm 32 does not tell us the specific occasion in David's life that caused him to write this psalm. It is a psalm of penitence, but is it also a psalm of a ransomed soul rejoicing, because David's sin was dealt with and his sorrow was comforted. As David recalled his

anguished past, he remembered the days of misery he spent in the isolation of secrecy. There is a bitter price to secret sin. When sin is hidden, the spiritual and mental wellbeing is stressed from living a double life to hide the sin. Unresolved sin and rebellion against God only causes misery in one's life and it will age and oppress a person. Stubbornness is a trait that we fail to see in ourselves, because our pride blinds us to it. The evil one uses our weaknesses to trip us up and cause blockages in our walk with God. So often we fail to feel the presence of God with us, which only adds to our hostility. Too often we don’t realize that the only way to hear Him

is to be quiet and still. God promises to instruct us, to teach us and to guide us, if we diligently seek Him and focus on Him. It is a great blessing to be forgiven and have fellowship restored. There is a great blessing in knowing His forgiveness, because sin is no longer exposed; it is covered. When we live in seasons of unconfessed sin, we are like a stubborn mule that can only be guided through pain or severity. David learned of the sorrows that came with living against the will of God. Interestingly enough, when we are living with unconfessed sin, we find ourselves oppressed by the presence of God, but once we repent, we find a safe place within His mercy once again. The Holy Spirit works in the lives of those who truly belong to God, convicting them of their sin and hardness of heart. Our God will not allow us to remain comfortable in habitual sin. Confession to sin leads to a restored relationship with God through forgiveness and mercy. When we remind ourselves of these blessings...the redemption from guilt, release from hypocrisy, when we remember the protection God gives His people and His guidance, we can be glad and rejoice. David again gloried in the protection and renewed fellowship with God. God is our hiding place, a secure place of shelter and in Him we find security, joy and victory.