Day 190: Psalm 32- Forgiven not Condemned

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
 
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
 
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
 
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
 
 
Meditation
I woke up feeling condemned. When I feel insecure or out of control my flesh tries to exert authority over people with my voice, something that had happened with my boys just before bedtime the night before. We reconciled but my spirit was still unsettled. What do I do with my sense of shame and the feeling of failure as a father?
 
Three words for sin, “transgression, sin, and iniquity” (1-2) are matched with three words of promise for those who trust in the steadfast love of the Lord for forgiveness, “gladness, rejoicing, and joy” (10-11).  God meets us personally and leads us from groaning over sin to gladness of heart.
 
When we confess our sin (3-4) and are honest with our need for forgiveness (5) the Lord covers us with His righteousness. God is near and He has delivered us from the flood of judgment (6-7). God’s grace provides a path forward and God promises to teach us His ways of righteousness, renewed humanity (8-10).
 
God gave me Psalm 32 the morning I woke up feeling condemned. As I read the Psalm the sun rose creating a breathtaking view of both creation and God’s faithfulness that is new every morning. The love of my Heavenly Father embraced me personally through His Word and I embraced my sons that morning with gratitude for God’s grace in which there is no condemnation.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Where do you turn when you are feeling condemned, shame from sin?
 
-“There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1) Do you believe the promises of the gospel in Christ? No condemnation. Covered with Christ’s righteousness. Completely forgiven in Christ…Why or why not?
 
-Where do you see the fruit of the gospel in your life, a glad heart that rejoices with fullness of joy? What relationships need this level of reconciliation? God’s faithfulness is new every morning.
 
Key Verse
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.