The need for confession

I don’t know if this psalm was written at the same time as Psalm 51, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was, and so I include it here within the life of David.

David knew what it was like to try to hide one’s sin from God, and it appears that God was trying to get his attention long before Nathan showed up.

David apparently was having sleeping problems as his conscience kept whispering to him, “You were wrong.  You have sinned.”

When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer. (Psalm 32:3-4)

It was perhaps because of God’s work during this time that David was so responsive to Nathan when he came.

Sleepless, conscience-stricken, feeling sick in his heart at what he had done, it took little to get him to confess.  When Nathan showed up to confront him, David simply, but brokenly replied, “I have sinned.”  (2 Samuel 12:13)

It’s easy to see verses 3-4 of Psalm 32 as God’s punishment.  But I see it more as a sign of God’s love.

It was God saying to David, “I know what you did.  And I love you too much to just let you rest easy in your sin.  It’s destroying you.  Admit your wrong.  Confess it.”

And when David did, he found God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace.  He wrote,

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”

And you forgave
the guilt of my sin. (5)

Now looking back on it all, David could say,

Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit. (1-2)

How about you?  Is there sin that you are keeping hidden in your heart?  Is your conscience pricking your heart as it did with David?

Don’t ignore it.  Because if you do, the time will come when you will feel those pricks no longer.  You’ll become numb to them, and you’ll be in a worse state than you are now.

David tells us,

Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him. (9-10)