Psalm 32 Commentary
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Probably after experiencing these woes while in the shoes of wickedness, David can now tell the difference. He is a good teacher.
Time is a great healer, so we are told. But only forgiveness heals the wounds of sin. David had been in a position of wickedness. When he kept silent, his bones wasted away. This is what every saint knows. Sin doesn’t help us; it wastes us. It reduces us. It is a minus for every man’s well-being.
Until it is confessed, sin keeps the saint in slavery. There is no peace. You are always conscious of the heavy hand of the LORD. It’s never a good position to find yourself in.
So the saint must acknowledge his sin before the LORD and find forgiveness. Do so while forgiveness is available. Is the psalmist pointing to the fact that a time comes when forgiveness becomes unavailable? It makes sense. No one will have a chance to say sorry on judgment day.
Don’t be silent. Don’t cover your sins. Sin can be masked. It can be sugar-coated or even explained. We can even change names for it. But that only works for mortals. The LORD God knows it well. Sin is sin. Don’t cover it because it remains plain and fresh in the eyes of the LORD.
And if we take David’s moment of wickedness with Bathsheba as an example, then we know not even power and authority can help us. Our sins against house workers and everyone who calls us boss can easily bypass our attention but not God’s attention.
The mention of the bridle and bit to control the horse may draw the thought that our feelings and desires should not control us. We are creatures of reason. Importantly, we are creatures of the freewill. We can always choose God even in moments when we feel heavily controlled by these bridles and bits. We are not horses.
Yes, woes for the wicked man, but what about the righteous? The LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him. Let him rejoice and be glad in the LORD. Sing together, you righteous. Raise the roof! It is a special gift the LORD gives you.
More resources visit http://www.lovingscripture.com
LOVING SCRIPTURE 