Last week, we took a look at Psalm 32 and the importance of repentance in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. We must acknowledge the sin that is in our life and repent or turn away from it and ask God for forgiveness. Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. God will forgive our sin when we have repented of the sin and have asked for forgiveness. Simply saying, “I’m sorry” without meaning it is not sufficient in God’s eyes. Quite a few years ago, Governor Neff of the State of Texas received an invitation to speak at one of the penitentiaries in that state. He spoke to the assembled prisoners, and afterward said that he would be around for a while to listen to anything any of the convicts might wish to tell him. He would take as much time as they wanted, and anything they would tell him would be kept in confidence. The convicts began to come, one at a time. One after another told him a story of how they had been unjustly sentenced, were innocent, and wished to get out. Finally one man came through who said to him, “Governor Neff, I do not want to take much of your time. I only want to say that I really did what they convicted me of. But I have been here a number of years. I believe I have paid my debt to society, and that, if I were to be released, I would be able to live an upright life and show myself worthy of your mercy.” This was the man whom Governor Neff pardoned.
Repentance must be a daily part of the believer’s life. Why? Sadly, because we sin daily. Charles Spurgeon said: A Christian must never leave off repenting, for I fear he never leaves off sinning. The sin in our lives should leave us broken-hearted about the sin. Sin never just affects the sinner alone – my sin affects my wife, my children, and most of all, it affects God. We must be broken-hearted about our sin because it was our sin that caused Jesus Christ to be nailed to the cross of Calvary. It was my sin that caused Him to suffer humiliation, beatings, and then death on the cross. Sin never affects me alone, because my sin cost my Saviour His life. The act of hating sin on my part is not enough, because that is not repentance. If I hate sin because of what God may do to me, that is not repentance. That is only a dislike of God’s justice. Instead, I must view my sin as offensive to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and realize that I must be broken-hearted about the sin because of what Jesus Christ had to do for me on the rugged cross.
Repentance is to leave
The sin we loved before,
And show that we in earnest grieve
By doing so no more.
Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
What an interesting verse and so powerful! “For this shall everyone…” What is the “this?” The subject of verse 5: David’s sin and the need for repentance on David’s part. Note that it is the godly that will pray to God, why? Because the wicked do not realize their need for repentance and the godly do not view themselves as being godly. A godly man is like God, he hath the same judgment with God! he thinks of things as God doth; he hath a God-like disposition; he partakes of the divine nature. A godly man doth bear God’s name and image: godliness is Godlikeness (Thomas Watson). We can partake of the nature of God: 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We need to be sure we are not puffed up and think more of ourselves than is really there. We may think we can never be tempted by a particular sin, but that will be the sin that will be our downfall. Our pride will be our downfall every time. Proverb 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. Proverb 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. We need to be humble in our heart and realize that it is not our strengths that God will use best to His glory, but it is our weaknesses that God uses to His greatest glory.
Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
Those that are godly do not see themselves that way and they are quicker to humble themselves before God and pray to Him in repentance. Sadly, the Pharisees, who had access to God’s Word and to Jesus Christ, refused to humble themselves realize their sinful condition. They declared that they could see and that only showed their blindness. in a time when thou mayest be found – praise God that He may still be found! In other words, people can still come to Him for salvation, but a time is coming when He will not save. Let us look at the rest of the verse. in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. What event is David referring to? The worldwide flood and Noah’s Ark. J. Vernon McGee wrote: Noah was in the ark when the Flood came, and that flood which destroyed others simply lifted him up because he was in the ark. The waters of judgment could not reach Noah. There is going to be another time of great judgment coming upon the earth, but it will not be a flood of water: it will be fire. If people reject Jesus Christ enough times, then God will give them their desire and leave them alone.
Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Noah and his family and the animals entered the ark, God shut the door, and then seven days later the rains fells and the springs of the earth flowed. God is the shield for the believer in Jesus Christ. God will take the believer and protect the believer when times of trouble occur.
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
God will lead those that are willing to be led. God will also allow those that are determined to go their own way go. If that person is a child of His, then, like a loving Father, He will chasten them to bring them back. Look at verse 8 again and consider that in order to guided by God’s eye, you would have to be pretty close to Him. God will reveal things to us as we are ready for it and if we are willing to humble ourselves to be taught.
Psalm 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Some Christians are not willing to be obedient or follow God. God is comparing them to a horse or a mule which needs a bit and a bridle in order to be led in the direction God wants them. Think about Jonah for a moment – the whale was Jonah’s bit and bridle. People may have truly come to Jesus Christ for salvation but still insist on doing things their way without verifying it through the Bible. God will give them some slack, but if they persist, He will bridle them and draw them in.
Psalm 32:10-11 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (11) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
What a wonderful closing to this psalm! The believer – those that have trusted in Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection, shall have mercy all around them! Believers should be the happiest people on earth. We should always be glad in the Lord, even in the darkest of moments. And believers should rejoice as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: 1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
In Christ I have believed,
And through the spotless Lamb
Grace and salvation have received:
In Him complete I am.
My sins, my crimson stains,
Are blotted out each one;
No condemnation now remains!
God views in me His Son.