Psalm 32
This is another of David's Psalms, this one is a "Maskil" but nobody knows what that means, though it may be a musical or literary term.
"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deciet"
"When I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer"
Have you ever watched the news and been shocked and amazed at the reaction of the next of kin who say that they forgive those who wronged them?
I believe that there is evidence of health and lives and happiness being affected by people who cannot forgive and being forgiven for a wrong can be very powerful.
The Roman Catholic church has a sacrament (earthly event that mirrors an aspect of heaven - or where it is believed heaven and earth are close) that is called "reconciliation" or in the vernacular it is confession. Other Christian churches have the same thing to a greater or lesser extent.
David has a similar moment here - I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let us pray to God, admitting and confessing our shortcomings.
I'm not 100% certain as it has been a very long time since I read it but a Christian woman from Holland called Corrie Ten Boom wrote a book about her wartime experiences in occupied Holland that was called "The Hiding place" which I think is inspired by verse 7
You are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance
The Ten Boom family helped Jews escape the Nazi persecution as practising Christians. They were caught and Corrie wound up being rescued from Ravensbruck Concentration camp at the end of the war.
I believe that God offers the advice in verses 8-11
God promises to instruct and teach us the way we should go and council us with his loving eye on us.
We could be like a horse or mule, that requires a bit and bridle as they have no understanding.
The Lords prayer (found in the gospels as an example of how to pray) contains the phrase "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"
The first sentence after the Lords prayer is "If you do not forgive people when they sin against you, God will not forgive your sins either"
Another person many people find it hard to forgive is themselves - "He is his own worst enemy"
Jesus told us to forgive our enemies - even if that turns out to be you sometimes.
It is the teaching of the church that Jesus died once for all to pay the price for all sins that includes all of mine (thank God!, no, literally I mean that) and yours.
There is a line in one of my favourite hymns "The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment, from Jesus a pardon receives"
God's amazing grace also found a slave trader by the name of John Newton who wrote a hymn called Amazing grace. Nobody is beyond the love of God.
This is another of David's Psalms, this one is a "Maskil" but nobody knows what that means, though it may be a musical or literary term.
"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deciet"
"When I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer"
Have you ever watched the news and been shocked and amazed at the reaction of the next of kin who say that they forgive those who wronged them?
I believe that there is evidence of health and lives and happiness being affected by people who cannot forgive and being forgiven for a wrong can be very powerful.
The Roman Catholic church has a sacrament (earthly event that mirrors an aspect of heaven - or where it is believed heaven and earth are close) that is called "reconciliation" or in the vernacular it is confession. Other Christian churches have the same thing to a greater or lesser extent.
David has a similar moment here - I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let us pray to God, admitting and confessing our shortcomings.
I'm not 100% certain as it has been a very long time since I read it but a Christian woman from Holland called Corrie Ten Boom wrote a book about her wartime experiences in occupied Holland that was called "The Hiding place" which I think is inspired by verse 7
You are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance
The Ten Boom family helped Jews escape the Nazi persecution as practising Christians. They were caught and Corrie wound up being rescued from Ravensbruck Concentration camp at the end of the war.
I believe that God offers the advice in verses 8-11
God promises to instruct and teach us the way we should go and council us with his loving eye on us.
We could be like a horse or mule, that requires a bit and bridle as they have no understanding.
The Lords prayer (found in the gospels as an example of how to pray) contains the phrase "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"
The first sentence after the Lords prayer is "If you do not forgive people when they sin against you, God will not forgive your sins either"
Another person many people find it hard to forgive is themselves - "He is his own worst enemy"
Jesus told us to forgive our enemies - even if that turns out to be you sometimes.
It is the teaching of the church that Jesus died once for all to pay the price for all sins that includes all of mine (thank God!, no, literally I mean that) and yours.
There is a line in one of my favourite hymns "The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment, from Jesus a pardon receives"
God's amazing grace also found a slave trader by the name of John Newton who wrote a hymn called Amazing grace. Nobody is beyond the love of God.
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