Psalm 32

Psalm 32

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

While I kept silence, my body 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

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the guilt of my sin.Selah

Therefore let all who are faithful
    offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
    shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.Selah

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you.

Many are the torments of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Had a little trouble getting started this week with my devotions, and I realize that I just needed a break from Acts. It's a busy book, Acts, and while it has a lot of offer - as I hope I've shown - I needed to share something today that seemed a bit more spiritual, or devotional, in it's content. 

So for a bit, I'm going to return to the daily lectionary texts - especially the Psalms. It's been a while since I've done this and there is something about the randomness of the lectionary, as well as the theology and beauty of the Psalms, that felt like I needed to attend to.

And this Psalm seems a marvelous place to begin. "Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven."

Ain't that the truth?

God as balm. God as deliverance. God as a place of refuge. All made possible by forgiveness granted with love and grace.

But it is not simply the forgiveness granted that is balm.

It is, as the Psalmist makes clear, also in the acknowledging and confessing of the wrong. It is admitting the sin. 

Because it is there that you are able to live in truth. And truth is freeing. It is freeing for the person being forgiven and also for the person doing the forgiving.

Forgiveness is something that we don't often practice asking for or granting. I read recently an article that said it isn't enough to say: "That's OK" when someone apologizes. The freedom comes when to that apology we say, "You are forgiven." 

Those words are often hard to hear. 

But they are also life-giving. A source of glad cries of deliverance!

Lord, help me to find those places where I need forgiveness and give me the courage to ask for it. And in those places where I need to forgive, grant me the compassion which you have show to do so. Amen.