Devotional on Psalm 32:5
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
Psalm 32:5 (ESV)
Admitting we’ve failed has to be one of the most unnatural things we can do. We try all kinds of ways to hide our sin. We may even lie to ourselves and try to convince ourselves we’ve done nothing wrong. We are great at justifying our sin; not so great at admitting it. Maybe you’re like me and one of your strategies for dealing with problems is just to ignore them in hopes that they go away. That’s a really foolish approach for any problem, but especially sin. But again, we’ll try almost anything to avoid coming face to face with sin, won’t we? Somewhere deep down we’re convinced that the good life is one in which you never have to say you’re sorry, where your pride goes untouched. What’s your reason for trying to cover up your sin?
In Psalm 32 David points out a different path. He begins by saying, “Blessed is the one… whose sin is covered.” But as verse 5 makes clear, this sin is not covered by a cover up. In verses 3-4 he says, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away… For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.” This image strikes close to home for anyone enduring a Houston summer. When we try to ignore our sin or explain it away, we waste away, we wither like grass under the blazing sun. A sure way to shrivel up spiritually is to spend all your energy covering up your sin. This is all the more true when the Lord brings hard consequences in our lives as the result of our sin. Can you see any ways right now that the Lord’s hand is heavy upon you? What sin is he calling you to address. Certainly not all suffering is a result of sin or a judgment of God. But sometimes we can see clearly the way our sin has led to our present situation. In those times especially, David is pointing us to the path of life.
David leads the way for us. It’s like he’s standing on the other side of the river and saying, “Jump on in. You’ll make it through. Confess your sin. The Lord will forgive you. He will preserve you.” (See verse 6) Confession of sin is an act of faith. It requires us to trust that God is not only righteous, but also merciful. Repenting of sin and resting in God’s grace is the path to joy. The Psalm winds up like this:
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!
Psalm 32:10–11 (ESV)
The unrepentant wicked have sorrows only. The righteous aren’t free from sorrow, but in the midst of them we can know that the steadfast love of the Lord surrounds. We can shout for joy because the Lord does not count our iniquity against us. One way we can fight sin together is to remind each other of this. Don’t believe the lies your pride is telling. There is no life to be found in covering up your sin. Acknowledge it before God. Drag it out into the light, and know the grace of forgiveness. Look to the Lord as your hiding place when you’re troubled by sin. His steadfast love will surround you.
Prayer
O Merciful Father, you are the God who knows us inside and out. You know our secret thoughts and desires. You know that all that we say and do. How foolish it is when we try to hide our sin from you. And it is all the more foolish because you offer forgiveness to those who repent of sin and trust in Christ. Help us to call on you while you may be found. Help us to be convinced that if we trust in you, the waters of judgment will not overwhelm us. Teach us that the path of joy and salvation lies in repentance and faith in Christ. Amen.