Behind - The Blessing of Being Forgiven
[Editor's Note: This message is part of a series of messages by Dr. Hunt from Psalm 32. You can view all the messages by searching SermonCity under Sermons, Series and then find the Series listed as Behind.]
Introduction
Many people truly view God as either a distant, indifferent creator or as a harsh judge. Both views are distorted. God in His Son is the loving Father who welcomes us home. He cleanses us with the blood of Jesus. He restores us to Himself. It has been estimated that over 80% of all illness today me be spiritual in origin, psychosomatic. If we will come to Christ, be freed from guilt and restored to the Father, we can be healed. The depression will be lifted, the emotional pain will be gone, and our spirits and bodies will be renewed because the heavy hand of God’s now has become the light hand of His yes. As John put it in 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In verse 6, the words “for this cause” say it all. In light of verses 1-2 we have seen “The Delight of Forgiveness”, in verses 3-5 we have seen
“The Decline of Failing To Be Forgiven” and now we will look at “The Description of Being Forgiven.”
I. THE DESCRIPTION OF BEING FORGIVEN 6-7
God’s desire is not only to forgive our sin; He wants us to live with a sense of cleansing and wholeness. David’s vivid experience of forgiveness through expressive repentance and confession leads him to urge others to do what he did and receive what he received.
“everyone” - broadens his prayer to include us in the “teaching psalm.”
“For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You.”
In the Disciples Prayer (Lord’s Prayer) - Matthew 6:13 - “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
In the High Priestly Prayer - John 17:15 - “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”
Prayer is to be #1 in temptation
· Sin is too big a thing to be handled alone.
· You cannot control sin, sin will control you; never attempt to manage sin.
Example:
Titanic- The ship that could not sink. The Californian wired them with warnings at least 6 times. The operator had told her to shut up and had not bothered to send the warnings to the bridge. When the frantic SOS signals were sounding over the radio waves, it was too late.
David is acknowledging the Power of Prayer.
A. Prayer - 6
“godly” - pious, related to the word for mercy and loving-kindness. The godly are those who have, by faith, experienced God’s saving mercy and His great loving kindness. It’s all because they have trusted God’s mercy and been forgiven. They have been “justified by faith.” They had a righteous standing before God because his righteousness has been put to their account.
“in a time when you may be found” – contains both a promise and a warning. The promise is “in a time” – an opportunity and an open door. Now God’s heart is open to us in His Son. The warning is that this time will pass. The door will be shut. Speaks of an opportunity that remains. It stresses a day of grace and here the day of danger. It can serve as a warning against being presumptuous; “in a time of finding out.”
Hebrews 12:9 - “Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?”
Continues the promise in verse 6. - “Surely in a flood of great waters, they shall not come near him.”
B. Protection - 6
Such a prayer of repentance and God’s forgiveness leads to assurance; security. This speaks of God’s protection. God will keep us secure in Himself. God did not shelter and pamper David, but He did care for him. The water came in like a flood, but David did not drown.
C. Preservation - 7
Psalms 32:7 - “You are my hiding place;/You shall preserve me from trouble;/You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah”
Here David becomes personal. The godly are not exempt from trouble but they are preserved in it, not overwhelmed by it. Here David has found relief and refuge. He has found peace in the midst of his personal storm.
Satan will often use our troubles to worry and weaken us. God wants to use them to strengthen us. David exchanged hiding his sins for a hiding place in the Lord. The Lord adds positive blessings to help us on the road to recovery. God removed his trouble and put a wall of protection around him. Did David deserve those blessings? Of course not, nor do we! But this is the grace of God found in Jesus Christ our Lord.
“God’s kiss of forgiveness sucks the poison from the wound.” Alexander MacLaren
This doesn’t mean that David did not suffer because of the consequences of his sins. However, he was not alone and he was helped and enabled by the Lord. He also was provided with God’s presence and peace.
Psalm 40 is referred to as “Faith Persevering in Trial.”
Psalms 40:5 - “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works/Which You have done;/And Your thoughts toward us/Cannot be recounted to You in order;/If I would declare and speak of them,/They are more than can be numbered.”
D. Praise - 7
“You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.”
In 2 Samuel 12:20 the Bible tells us that “David went into the house of the Lord and worshipped…” It was after David was forgiven and restored; he went to the sanctuary to worship the Lord.
Psalms 40:3 - “He has put a new song in my mouth — /Praise to our God;/Many will see it and fear,/And will trust in the Lord.”
David was surrounded by “songs” (shouts) of deliverance; praise to God for His mercies. This was a man who moments before, had been talking about his “roaring” –his irrepressible anguish. He has moved from roaring to rejoicing. David moved from silence to singing. When your soul is clean, you have a song in your heart.
David was protected by praise. No matter where he looked, even in the midst of problems, he saw God and praised Him!
The Beatitudes give a Description of Forgiveness:
1. Upward: “Blessed are the poor in
spirit” Matthew 5:3
2. Inward: “Blessed are those who
mourn” Matthew 5:4
3. Outward: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst” Matthew 5:6
Richard Owen Roberts
CONCLUSION
Unconfessed sin is a terrible burden. God loves His children too much to allow unconfessed sin in their lives. The hand that disciplines is the same hand that forgives and protects. Are you harboring unconfessed sin? Confess it now and thank God for His forgiveness and protecting hand of grace.