Psalm 32
The thirty-second Psalm provides us with the perfect road map for our Christian walk. It outlines the principles of godly living that, if followed, will ensure our spiritual health every day. It is amazing how much powerful "medicine" that the Lord can pack inside such a tiny capsule. At just eleven verses long, it packs a mighty wallop!
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalm 32:1, 2) Our God delights in mercy. He doesn't forever hold our sins against us; but, through our Lord Jesus Christ, He has blotted out our transgressions, and erased our sins. As far as the east is from the west - that's how far God has removed our iniquities. He demands that we be without guile (deceitfulness), however, in our dealings with Him. If we pretend not to hear Him, or try to hide what we do from Him, He will know it. Just as we are not pleased when our children pretend they didn't hear us when we know that they did, God wishes us to respond the first time when He speaks. When we respond to God, though, we enter into this blessed state of grace. Being justified by faith, we now have peace with God through the Lord Jesus, and access to God's great grace.
"When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah." (Psalm 32:3-5) The acknowledgement of our sin is a key principle in being transformed into what God is wanting us to be. We must agree with God. When He is dealing with us in a particular matter, and we are unwilling to own it, His hand will be heavy on us, and it will be as though we are drying up spiritually. Once we come clean and confess that thing to the Lord, however, He forgives us and we find freedom once more in Him.
"For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah." (Psalm 32:6, 7) NOW is the time when God can be found. We can't afford to wait until tomorrow when He is dealing with us today. "For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) It is when we are in a right standing with God, and are "prayed up," that we need not fear the storms and floods of life. Oh, they will come, but when they do, we can know that we can rise above them because we are walking with the Master of the sea. He will be a hiding place from the tempest, and a cleft in the rock, that will shelter us from the storm's ravages; and we will come out on the other side with a song of deliverance on our lips.
"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about." (Psalm 32:8-10) God is instructing us every day. He teaches us in a multitude of ways. He speaks through His Word, He speaks through others, and He speaks through circumstances in our lives. His goal is that we learn to respond to Him instantly when we feel the prompting of His Holy Spirit nudging us. When my children were young, they had to be corrected with a paddle sometimes when they would get belligerent, but afterwards, I would only have to give them the "eye" and they would know exactly what I meant. Some folks, sadly, have to be harnessed and bridled, and must be jerked this way and that to get them to respond to what is right. They suffer many sorrows in their lives because they won't trust the Lord to work what's best in their lives. Mercy will surround the soul who trusts in God, though. He will be like a tree that is planted beside a river: always nourished by the life-giving stream.
"Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." (Psalm 32:11) God's ways are perfect, and very simple to those who love Him. To them who listen to His still, small voice will be joy unspeakable and full of glory! Oh, Lord let us forever be sensitive to your voice!
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalm 32:1, 2) Our God delights in mercy. He doesn't forever hold our sins against us; but, through our Lord Jesus Christ, He has blotted out our transgressions, and erased our sins. As far as the east is from the west - that's how far God has removed our iniquities. He demands that we be without guile (deceitfulness), however, in our dealings with Him. If we pretend not to hear Him, or try to hide what we do from Him, He will know it. Just as we are not pleased when our children pretend they didn't hear us when we know that they did, God wishes us to respond the first time when He speaks. When we respond to God, though, we enter into this blessed state of grace. Being justified by faith, we now have peace with God through the Lord Jesus, and access to God's great grace.
"When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah." (Psalm 32:3-5) The acknowledgement of our sin is a key principle in being transformed into what God is wanting us to be. We must agree with God. When He is dealing with us in a particular matter, and we are unwilling to own it, His hand will be heavy on us, and it will be as though we are drying up spiritually. Once we come clean and confess that thing to the Lord, however, He forgives us and we find freedom once more in Him.
"For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah." (Psalm 32:6, 7) NOW is the time when God can be found. We can't afford to wait until tomorrow when He is dealing with us today. "For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) It is when we are in a right standing with God, and are "prayed up," that we need not fear the storms and floods of life. Oh, they will come, but when they do, we can know that we can rise above them because we are walking with the Master of the sea. He will be a hiding place from the tempest, and a cleft in the rock, that will shelter us from the storm's ravages; and we will come out on the other side with a song of deliverance on our lips.
"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about." (Psalm 32:8-10) God is instructing us every day. He teaches us in a multitude of ways. He speaks through His Word, He speaks through others, and He speaks through circumstances in our lives. His goal is that we learn to respond to Him instantly when we feel the prompting of His Holy Spirit nudging us. When my children were young, they had to be corrected with a paddle sometimes when they would get belligerent, but afterwards, I would only have to give them the "eye" and they would know exactly what I meant. Some folks, sadly, have to be harnessed and bridled, and must be jerked this way and that to get them to respond to what is right. They suffer many sorrows in their lives because they won't trust the Lord to work what's best in their lives. Mercy will surround the soul who trusts in God, though. He will be like a tree that is planted beside a river: always nourished by the life-giving stream.
"Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." (Psalm 32:11) God's ways are perfect, and very simple to those who love Him. To them who listen to His still, small voice will be joy unspeakable and full of glory! Oh, Lord let us forever be sensitive to your voice!
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