Psalm 32 – Songs of Deliverance

Psalm 32:3-4

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away

When David refused to confess his sins He recognized the heavy hand of God upon his life. When we turn from God we find ourselves alone and the weight of our sin drags us down. But there is a very easy solution.

Psalm 32:5

Then I acknowledged my sin to you ... And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Once David confessed his sin he found forgiveness. Only one thing keeps us from receiving forgiveness from the guilt of sin - our stubborn refusal to admit our sin. Confession renews our relationship with God. As long as we cherish sin and refuse to admit it to God, a wall of rebellion remains between us and God. Forgiveness is always a two way street. God offers forgiveness to all, but, until we come to God and confess, the barrier remains.

This is also true in our relationship with others. We should be like God and offer loving forgiveness to all who hurt us, but a full restoration of fellowship is not truly possible until they accept their part in the hurt and accept our forgiveness. We can always forgive and let go of the anger and sin, but we cannot always restore the lost fellowship.

Psalm 32:6

Here we come to the central verse which in Hebrew poetry is often also the central idea. This section begins with the word "therefore," so lets look back and follow the argument.

• It is a joy to be forgiven
• Refusal to confess leads to sadness
• God offers forgiveness to all who confess
• Therefore, we should seek God in prayer

The argument is clear and compelling. Why resist God when He offers so much?

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.

David adds two other key concepts to this short verse. First, people should seek God while He may be found. This suggests that God may not always call to us or possibly that we may no longer hear that call because of our calloused heart. Don't ignore the call of God. Life is too short to miss out on the blessings available to those who turn to God.

The second thing David mentions is that God protects those who seek Him from the rising waters. Waters throughout scripture represent chaos and trouble. Confession leads to more than forgiveness. It also brings us under God's care and protection. Which leads us to verse 7.

Psalm 32:7

you ... surround me with songs of deliverance.

In God we find a place where we are protected and delivered. What a beautiful picture the psalmist paints. God surrounds us with songs that declare our deliverance.

I love this picture. There are times in life when I feel overwhelmed by the troubles and stress of life. The waters rise up to engulf me. But in the midst of our trouble, God is singing songs of deliverance - surrounding us with the sound of His soothing voice - calling out to us to trust Him.

Psalm 32:8-9

Verse 8 can be read two different ways. Either God is speaking and telling us that He will guide us and instruct us or, more likely, David is still talking and letting us know that he has great advice for us. I believe it is the second reading that makes the most sense since David is the primary speaker throughout the psalm. And here is his advice:

Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle

Another wonderful image. Don't be dumb like a donkey! Come to God freely. Don't make God drag you around like a dumb animal. Sometimes we act like the donkey. Digging in our heels and pulling away as God seeks to lead us to a better place. But we will not come because we think we know better. Be wise and and follow God.