Daily Devotional Saturday 1st January 2022
by William Moody
Psalm 32
Blessed Are the Forgiven
A Maskil1 of David.
32:1 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 up2 as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 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
6 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.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 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.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!(ESV)
As we begin the New Year we focus on the lovely theme of the joy of forgiven sins in this Psalm. David speaks of the blessedness of sins forgiven, sins covered by God (v1) and of sins not held against him (v2). By contrast David speaks of how he suffered when he refused to confess his sin, it affected not just his mind but his health (v3-4). The weight of this guilt drove him to confession and deliverance (v5).
David’s experience encourages him to call on others to follow his example and to pray to the Lord in days when He may be found (v6). Those who do so will find in the Lord a wonderful hiding place (v7).
The problem for many is that they are slow to listen to God and are like stubborn animals (v8-9). The wicked who are stubborn experience much sorrow but those who trust the Lord find love and great joy (v10-11).
Follow David’s call to confession and faith so that joy will be real to you.
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