Psalm 32 Devotional

The Relief of Confession

“Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah”Psalm 32:5 (BSB)

A blessing opens this psalm, spoken over the person whose wrongs are forgiven and whose sin is covered, whose guilt the LORD no longer counts against him (32:1-2). While he kept silent about his sin, his body wasted away, and day and night he felt God's hand heavy on him (32:3-4). Hiding did not protect him. It crushed him.

When he finally acknowledged his sin and stopped covering it, God forgave the guilt (32:5). There is no long probation, no list of penalties to pay first. Confession and forgiveness sit side by side in a single verse. Paul cites this psalm to show that God credits righteousness to people apart from their works (Romans 4:6-8). From there David calls God his hiding place (32:7). The God he once hid from has become the place he hides in. God then promises to teach and counsel him (32:8), and the psalm ends in gladness (32:11). Whatever you are keeping silent about, the way to relief runs through honest confession to a God who forgives.

To think about: What have you been keeping silent about before God, and what is stopping you from bringing it into the light today?