"Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,'and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"
-Psalm 32 ESV
I love how often the writings in the Old Testament directly line up with the New. It is a common thought that when Jesus came He changed everything for us. But the more I read in the Old Testament after receiving an understanding of scriptures in the New, the more I realize that this does not seem to be the case at all. When Jesus came, He simply clarified what the Old Testament was trying to tell us all along. Let us look closer at Psalm 32 again, at what David wrote. In the beginning we are told that those whose sins are forgiven are blessed. Blessed are those who's iniquity is not counted against them. God was offering forgiveness of sins even before He sent Christ, knowing that at some point Christ coming would erase the iniquities of those who sought after God. This scripture tells us to bring our iniquity into the light that it may be forgiven, because David writes that while he hid his sin he felt the pressure of his guilt and iniquities. However, when it was confessed to the Lord that he felt hidden from his troubles. Protected and delivered by the Lord. The same is still true for us. When we bring our sin and iniquity to the cross, and give them over to Jesus, his blood cleanses and protects us. We have not been saved by our works but by our faith. Which brings me to my final connection this morning. Look at the last verse again. the righteous are told to be glad in the Lord and rejoice. All the "upright in heart". Now that is important. Unlike common Jewish tradition it wasn't the upright in deed that is being praised here, but the upright in heart. David knew that man failed when it came to living that sinless life, but his faith and his hope was in God's deliverance. He praised the Lord his God with every fiber of his being, and lived a life sold out to God and in complete trust. This is why David is called a man after God's own heart. And it is the same system that Jesus brought to us. When we give our hearts over to God, in complete faith, trust, and praise, we have done as God asked us to do. Yes we will still make mistakes, don't hide them. I'm not saying run to all your neighbors and say how you screwed it all up again, but just be honest with yourself, and with God. You messed up, you need him. Be comforted, that is why Jesus came for us. We mess up, it happens, so did king David, I guess we are in pretty good company after all huh?
