Reading the Word

Psalm 32:1–5 (ESV)

¹ Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. ² Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. ³ For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. ⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah⁵ 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

Understanding and Applying the Word

Guilt is a terrible thing to live with. It gnaws at your conscience. It never leaves you alone and there is no peace to be found. In this psalm, we read that that David felt as though his bones were wasting away and he groaned all day long in agony. He was guilty and he did not want to do what he needed to do. He did not want to own up to his sin. Instead, he kept silent. How often do we do the same?

However, when David finally did admit his sin and stopped trying to hide it, he found something unexpected. In our world of getting even, we expect him to pay dearly for whatever it is he has done. Instead, he finds forgiveness. The Lord covers his sin and does not count it any longer. It is forgiven.

How amazing that the all-knowing, holy God would forgive the sin of the repentant. Yet that is exactly what the Bible says God does for all who acknowledge their sin and turn to him by trusting in Jesus Christ as the one who pays for their sin. Do not let your guilt continue to eat away while you try to hide. It will never work. Besides, there is a better way. Turn to God in repentance and he will forgive you.