Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.” And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)
Into the Text
This week, we’ve studied repentance. Repentance is a key component of our faith. In the season of Lent, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the saving work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, repentance is one way we turn our hearts to Him.
In Psalm 32, David expresses the way repentance and confession of sin brought him great joy and peace. He expresses how, when he refused to confess his sin, he experienced great pain. The weight of his sin tormented him, nearly destroying him, and even affecting his physical health.
However, once David confessed his sin, he recognized and accepted God’s incredible forgiveness. He no longer suffered pain but experienced great peace and joy. When he trusted God to forgive him, God’s faithfulness overwhelmed him.
David also encourages God’s people to pray and repent while they can still do so. Because of Jesus, all our sins are forgiven and paid for if we have placed our faith in Him. So our lives no longer need to be tormented by the weight and destruction of sin. When we turn back to God and seek His forgiveness, we find life, peace, and joy.
Repentance is not a one-time action but a discipline and a posture of our hearts. The more we recognize the freedom and blessings that come from repentance, the quicker we are to repent when we make mistakes. May we be followers of Jesus who continually humble ourselves before Him in repentance and live in the freedom and joy that come from His forgiveness.