Talking Psalm 32

Friends, God placed this scripture in front of me today. I read it through fast and furious. Then I went back and re-read it while I talked it out with God. I do that a lot. Please join me and God here as we sort out some realizations, brewed strong in His Truth...

Psalm 32

A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Yes, blessed am I! My sins are covered by the One with the biggest, whitest cloth ever known. Once I let Him lay that blanket of forgiveness upon my shattered heart and broken mind, His healing and renewing took hold. But, I had to come broken wanting only restoration.

³ When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.

Oh how my bones grew old from carrying my sin. And my silence just about smothered me. For in keeping my mouth gagged and my heart bound, all I could do was groan within my secret places.

⁴ For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.

Lord, You kept trying to guide me along Your path. I refused to see with my soul, nor did I listen with my heart. I lived in a long drought of summer.

⁵ I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Praise be to God! Hallelujah for Your magnanimous goodness and mercy and love!

⁶ For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
⁷ You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

You are my fortress. I hide in You. At least I hid my sin within You, but now I shout for joy about your preservation of my soul and I often shout songs throughout the day.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

Oh, it is sweet, sweet Truth that we do not need to be like the bridled animals in order to stand next to You. We must come willingly into Your loving and forgiving presence. Yes! Willingly, I come.

¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.
¹¹ Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Indeed, mercy surrounds me now! My sins are forgiven. And since He forgave me, I was able to forgive my very own selfish self. And all of that, my friend, is worthy of unending songs and praises and shouts!

Let us humbly pray:

Father God, just as David found Your mercy, forgiveness, and came to the realization that that true deep down joy comes only when we come to You, let each one reading this today also come willingly to You. These are precious people who desperately need to experience and really feel Your forgiveness, all the way down to their bones. Lord, help them to shed whatever hinders their search for You. Help them to come unbridled, unhindered, and uninhibited, right into Your tender arms. In Jesus' name, Amen.

* photo by me, Darlene, also know as A Simple Country Girl, living in the country with my boys and our critters...