Psalm 32
Finding Life in the Psalms • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Big Idea:
Big Idea:
We find life thru forgiveness (in Christ). The first step is confessing our sins.
Intro:
Intro:
Hi Everyone. Welcome to Church Online. I’m so glad you could join us. Today, in our “Finding Life in the Psalms” series, we’ll be in Psalm 32. Usually I like to start with a story or illustration, but I’m gonna be honest… I couldn’t come up with anything!
So, instead of forcing it, I’m going to trust God and jump straight into His word.
Exegesis:
Exegesis:
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
What’s David talking about here?
Is he reflecting on the sacrificial system that was part of worshiping God in his day? Like, “happy - because that’s another way to translate the word “blessed” - happy is the person who worships through the sacrificial system that God gave His people so they could receive forgiveness?”
You know, here in Glastonbury, our public schools observe Jewish holidays. Last week, my sons had Yom Kippur off, otherwise known as the Day of Atonement. And while many of the kids see it as an extra day off, it’s actually a very significant day in our faith history!
The book of Leviticus says it’s the one day when the high priest could go into the “holy of holies” where God’s presence dwelt in the tabernacle. There he would put the blood of the sacrificial animals on the ark to atone (or pay for ) for the sins of himself, his family, and the people.
Then, he would take a live goat, place his hands on its head, and confess the sins of the people over it. Afterwards, the goat would be released into the wild symbolizing God had forgiven and separated them from their sins for that year.
Is this what David is referring to? Is it this OT sacrificial-based forgiveness that makes a man blessed? I don’t think so...
One reason I don’t think so is because the sense of the being “blessed” in this passage is one whose life has been made COMPLETELY RIGHT WITH GOD. And the OT sacrificial system couldn’t do that...
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
… and the writer goes onto say...
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
God’s word tells us that sacrifices only temporarily made one right with God. It did not completely take away sin. The results weren’t final. The priest had to repeat the sacrifices over and over again, mostly because the people sinned over and over again. Therefore, while the forgiveness given on the Day of Atonement was certainly a blessing, it is not the forgiveness that made someone “blessed” - at least not the way David used it here.
So, what is David talking about?
Many believe Psalm 32 is connected to Psalm 51, which is a psalm we studied a few weeks ago. Psalm 51 is all about how God graciously forgave Davide when he stole another man’s wife (Bathsheba) and then had that man (Uriah) killed. If you remember, Nathan the prophet was sent to rebuke David and convict him of his sin. And it worked!
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
Wait a minute... David receives forgiveness, but no sacrifice was made. This forgiveness given directly from the Lord, and not the result of human effort - David didn’t DO anything to make things right and receive forgiveness. And Psalm 32:1 communicates the same idea. The forgiveness the blessed man received did not come from sacrifice but directly from God.
So, what’s David talking about here?
There is a forgiveness that leads to a blessed life.
This forgiveness comes directly from God.
The forgiveness given made one completely right with the LORD.
But, the question becomes: How to access this kind of forgiveness? This is important! Because I don’t know about you, but I want to be blessed. I want this kind of forgiveness!
Let’s keep reading and see if David tell us how we can find it.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
You ever watch those TV shows or movies where the timeline jumps back and forth? That’s sorta what happens here. David takes us back in time to before he recieved forgiveness. Why? Because he’s going to show us how he accessed it! So, pay attention!
Remember how I said Psalm 32 is connected to the story of David and Bathsheba? What’s interesting is there is no record of David’s inner turmoil in 2 Samuel. In fact, what we find is…
David steals a man’s wife.
Then, has that man killed to cover it up.
The story goes on to say...
When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.
And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.
See… no mention of inner turmoil. Actually, David seems perfectly fine. Now add this easy to miss detail...
It says Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba) bore David a son.
Then... Nathan was sent to David.
What’s this tell us? That David went on - business as usual - for at least 10 months! And no mention of inner turmoil.
But let me ask this… Have you ever done something terrible, hid it, and then pretended everything was fine? Even block it out to the point where you kinda forget about it (even if, deep down, it’s still eating away at us). I believe that’s what David did for 10 months. Humans are pretty good at hiding sin and pretending everything is just fine...
Part of my testimony is being introduced to Jesus at 10 years old. I remember have genuine experiences with the God who loved me. But then I remember living like the devil for the next 14 years. All the while, maintaining the “good boy, everything is fine” persona. But then there came a moment when I was finally HONEST with myself.
I was sitting on my mom’s couch. Unemployed. Drinking up her liquor in the middle of day watching TV. And in a moment of HONESTY, I had 3 thoughts:
I’m a loser!
The last time I was genuinely happy (BLESSED) was when I was 10 years old and going to church.
Everything wasn’t fine. My life is a mess! I’m dying inside because of my sin!
It wasn’t too long after that I repented of my sin and put my faith in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. And in Psalm 32, David’s flashback is a moment of HONESTY. It’s when he’s truthful about what sin was REALLY doing to his life during that time.
It felt like his body was being torn apart.
He was spiritually screaming inside.
It was killing him!
And the reason he felt that way isn’t just because sin destroys us, but also because God disciplines. Sometimes… God will put pressure and heat on our lives so we will snap out of our sin. He’s not being mean. He spiritually spanks us because He loves us.
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Have you ever felt like David? When your body feels like it’s being eaten alive, and you’re screaming on the inside because of guilt and shame? When it feels like God is after you? All the while faking that everything is fine? Like your the only one that knows the inner turmoil. The late nights when you can’t sleep.
Let me tell you… that’s not the blessed life! Be HONEST with yourself. Be HONEST about your sin!
Because look what happens when you do… David said...
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
Here we go. This is what we’ve been waiting for! How do we access the blessed life found through forgiveness?
Step 1: We honestly confess our sins.
Step 1: We honestly confess our sins.
We don’t hide our sins. We confess them! God knows them anyways. God knew David sinned. Nathan wasn’t sent to investigate whether David did something wrong. God sent Nathan because David was hiding his sin. And God loved David too much to let him sit in that sin. David was a man after God’s own heart. Therefore, God took the initiative to restore the relationship (since sin separates us from Him)!
And when David came to his senses and confessed, God forgave him. Confession is the path that leads the door to forgiveness. And today, if you find yourself being torn up inside because of your sin, it’s time to stop hiding it and be HONEST. CONFESS your sin to God. Tell Him, “God, I’m sorry for [fill in the blank].”
And God WILL FORGIVE YOU! JUST LIKE HE DID DAVID. I love what one Bible scholar said… he said, “David spends 8 lines describing the weight of sin and it is completely reversed by four Hebrew words (you forgave my sin).” What’s the point of this comparison? Not just that God forgives, but God WANTS TO FORGIVE US! He’s eager to FORGIVE. All we got to do is ask...
Step 2: We need to ask God for forgiveness.
Step 2: We need to ask God for forgiveness.
Think about this: It’s easy to ask for something that God already wants to give you.
But one important question that remains unanswered is: How is this immediate forgiveness possible?
Does God just ignore the sin.
Does he say, “Ah… that’s okay. I really don’t care. I’ll just forgive you.”
No! He literally can’t do that. God is holy and just. He has punish evil and sin.
And atonement (or payment) must happen for someone to be made right for their sin. And we already discussed that the sacrificial system couldn’t fully accomplish this. So, how is David immediately and completely forgiven?
The answer is Jesus!
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
On the cross, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the world, once and for all. And...
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
All we need to do is put believe - put our faith/trust - in the fact that Jesus will save us from our sins. This plays into that whole “God is making it easy” thing. God wants to forgive us. All we need to do is ask and believe.
…but wait… how does that work for David? David lived and died hundreds of years before Christ came. How could he know to put his faith in the Savior? Well, the answers is, “Because it’s always been about faith!”
And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
1000 years before David, Abraham was made right with God by faith. And David knew it was still about faith, which is why he says in Psalm 51...
You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
In other words, what makes one right with God is being HONEST about your sin, turning from it, and putting your FAITH in God to save you.
David did this by looking FORWARD by faith, believing one day, whenever God’s Savior (or Messiah) came, God’s promised of salvation from our sins would be fulfilled! He believed this even if he didn’t fully understand how.
Today, as Christians, we look BACKWARDS by faith, believing one day, God sent a Savior named Jesus (the Messiah), who died on the cross to forgive our sins, just as God promised. And even though we have the advantage of knowing more details than David...
Either way, we both access forgiveness by CONFESSION and FAITH!.
That’s why David writes...
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.
Let everyone who desires to be right with God pray. Not sacrifice. But may they put their faith (thru prayer) in God who restores the relationship that sin has broken.
I love that. That God isn’t hiding from us. He wants to be found!
Step 1: We need to confess.
Step 2: We need to ask for forgiveness.
Step 3: We need to believe God will be found.
Step 3: We need to believe God will be found.
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
But check this out… the time for God to be found is LIMITED. Let me give 3 reasons why:
You don’t know when’s your last day. You could pass away at any moment. And if you pass away without receiving your sins forgiven, the Bible tells us that person will suffer eternal punishment. When you die, it’s too late. Time is up. That’s why the Bible tells us, “Today is the day of salvation!”
The longer we wait, the harder our heart gets. The longer we resist the Lord, the less likely we’ll seek Him.
Finally, one day Jesus is coming back. And when He does, He’s coming back to eternally judge sin. And at that, it’s too late.
Here’s the good news. If you are hearing this message today, it’s not too late! You can STILL find forgiveness from the Lord by CONFESSING your sin, ASKING for forgiveness, and putting your FAITH in Jesus as Savior. When you do, God will forgive you and will have access to the BLESSED LIFE. You’ll be able to say, God...
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
So what are you waiting for? God wants you to be blessed. He wants you to find life! He’s making it easy. He says...
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
The answer to life is right in front of us. Don’t...
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.
Don’t be stubborn and stay in your sin? Because...
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Stubbornness only leads to more sorrows. Sorrows that eat you up inside. Why not, instead, have God’s love surrounding you like a wall that will never break or fail? Where the blessed life is found!
The happy life is being in God’s house - because where God is, there life is found.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
The BLESSED life is the forgiven life. FORGIVENESS in Christ is the door to God’s house. FAITH is the key that opens it. And CONFESSION is the path that brings you to the door. Do you need to walk down that path today? Don’t wait. Today is the day of salvation!
Confess your sins to Jesus. Turn away from them.
Ask Jesus to forgive you.
And put your faith in what He did on the Cross for you. That His perfect sacrificial death atoned for your sins. And His resurrection was proof that the payment was accepted.
Response:
Response:
In closing, I want to end by encouraging those who have already put their trust in Jesus as Lord. Those who have already received His eternal forgiveness. Those who ARE BLESSED.
Let me encourage you to...
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
One final thing this psalm teaches us is to celebrate the forgiveness we have in the LORD. Blessed people celebrate! Not only that, but our celebration is strategic. It plays a critical role in the Kingdom of God, which is why David ends this way. Celebration invites others to put their faith in the Lord too.
Think about it… who wants to radically change their life to join a boring, non-celebratory people? But sometimes, the church act like the most miserable of all people. That’s not right!
We should be the most joyful and happy people! And one reason this isn’t happening is because we’re not taking the time to think about he hope of our great salvation. That we are truly BLESSED.
Did you notice Psalm 32 includes the word “Selah” 3 times? Many believe this phrase means to “pause, reflect, and praise.” And as David took time to “pause and reflect” on the forgiveness he received by faith, it caused him to praise - to celebrate. Today (and this week), Christian, take some time to reflect on what God has done in your life. May it lead you to celebrate and rejoice in Him!
Let’s pray...
Father, we praise you today. We thank you for Your forgiveness. We thank you for Jesus, who made this forgiveness possible. We are truly blessed.
We also recognize that today, there may be unconfessed or hidden sin that is keeping us from the life You desire us to have. Holy Spirit, we ask You reveal that to us. Bring that truth to mind so we can confess it, ask for forgiveness, and receive life according to the promise we have in Jesus.
Again, we thank you for Your blessings.
In Jesus name, amen.
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