Faith in time of Crisis 14

Artwork “towards the light” (A Maltese Street) by Rev’d Paul Collings

Reflection by Dr J P Hunter

Psalm 32: 1-3, 5-6a, 8, 10-11. Of David. A maskil. 

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 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. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Meditation

This a Psalm of personal thanksgiving for God’s forgiveness. After opening blessings, the Psalm writer states he was suffering because he kept silent (verse 3). Then he decided to acknowledge his sin fully, without cover up (verse 5). Immediately God forgave the sin, resulting in the sinner’s deep joy: the writing of this Psalm, the insight that blessed or happy is the man whose sins the Lord does not count against him because of having received forgiveness (verse 1 and 2) and the advice to others to start praying to God too. Then the voice of God himself enters the Psalm in verse 8 to say: I will instruct you, teach you, counsel you and watch over you. The four verbs creating a picture of a father raising his child in loving nearness. In return the child adores his Heavenly Father having been freed from guilt and given a new start in life. So, it is a happy Psalm beginning and ending in joy, with in the middle the personal story of the God-centred journey to forgiveness which we could follow too.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you that you want to forgive sinners because that is part of Your loving nature. Thank you that thereafter we may experience your teachings, guidance and watchfulness over our lives.  We rejoice and praise Your name, O God or forgiveness, mercy and grace. Amen.             Jonathan Aitken, adapted.

Singing the Faith 107:5

God’s hand is my perpetual guard,

he guides me with his eye;

why should I then forget the Lord,

whose love is ever nigh?                                     Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748)