Worship in Word
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Of David. A maskil. Title: Probably a literary or musical term 3 When
I kept silent, my
bones wasted away through
my groaning all day long. 4 For
day and night your
hand was heavy on me; my
strength was sapped as
in the heat of summer. NIV (2011) |
Ps 32 A Maskil of David. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as
by the heat of summer. Selah ESV
(2016) |
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Ps 32 A Psalm of David, Mas'-chil. 3 When I kept silence, my bones
waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was
heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. KJV |
Ps 32 A psalm of David. 3 When
I refused to confess my sin, my
body wasted away, and
I groaned all day long. 4 Day
and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My
strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Holy Bible: New Living Translation Tyndale House
Publishers. (2015). |
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I. Covered – vv. 1-2 II. Conviction – vv. 3-4 III. Confession – v. 5 IV. Call – v. 6 V. Confidence – v. 7 V. Counsel – vv. 8-9 VI. Contrast – v. 10 VII. Celebrate! – v. 11
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Blessed
– vv. 1-2 Lament/Languish
– vv. 3-4 Exonerate
– v. 5 Seek
– v. 6 Shelter/security
– v. 7 Educate
– v. 8-10 Delight
– v. 11 |
I. Conviction/ Lament/Languish – vv. 3-4
David began Psalm 32 on a high note of celebration centered around
a person blessed with forgiveness – whose sins have been covered and no longer
held against them. But he has not answered the question, “David are you
speaking only in generalities, or do you have someone specific in mind?” In
verses 3-4, he answers that question. In doing so, the celebratory tone gives
way to somber reflection. That is because the person David has in mind is
himself.
Yes, the first two verses can and do address anyone rescued and
restored from a life marked by sin—the common plight of all humanity after the
fall of Adam. And he wants to highlight
the joy found when the Lord forgives one’s transgressions. I believe that is
why instead of starting at the beginning, David begins with the results and then
recounts what led up to this state of blessedness.
The blessed one, therefore, in the first two verses does not just
refer to a hypothetical person but also to David himself. Through his own
experience, David hoped others would also enter into the communion of the
forgiven. To do this, he first recounts his agony when he kept silent about his
sin. Let us start in verses 3-4 and
follow David on the path that ends in a state of blessed joy. That end is found
in verse 5, but before David arrives, he must first come to the end of himself.
Worship in Witness
“What we have here is a failure to communicate” is a memorable line from
an iconic movie that debuted in 1967 (Cool Hand Luke). If you allow me, may I borrow
this phrase and rip it entirely from its original context? In verses 3-4, David
confesses that he was guilty of a “failure to communicate?” I will go into this
a little deeper in my next journal entry.
But first, may I also apply it to myself concerning God and my wife? When
my wife left me eight years ago, I was crushed. Not wanting to be alone and in
a surrounding that reminded me of her, I moved in with my mother for several
months as I sought help through counseling and time in God’s word. My journey
began in the Psalms during this time, which ultimately led to this blog you are
reading.
During that time, it would have been easy to cast all the blame on my
wife. Instead, I came to the end of myself and recognized the sin in my own
life that was part of the problem. The idolatry of placing God in a secondary
place in my life behind my wife and financial concerns. The physical before the
spiritual, which in reality, sputtered throughout our marriage. I failed to include
her in some of the most critical decisions that affected our marriage and
family (I assumed that she and I were on the same page).
Did recognizing and confessing these things fix everything? No, and if we look at David’s life, it did not fix everything for him either. But while my wife has not come home, God has been restoring and blessing me. But I had to come to the end of myself first.
Am I perfect? By no means! Anyone who has kept up with my blog
knows that is not so. Do I experience times of sadness and depression?
Certainly! But my Shepherd is the same One that led David through both green
fields and the shadows.
David testifies that through it all, God’s “goodness and mercy” followed
him “all the days” of his life. And the LORD’s “goodness and mercy” also follow
me – but it is still my earnest prayer that my precious wife would join me
again in following our great Shepherd.
Worship in Promise, Prayer, Poem, and Praise
Source:
Logos Media Collections
We Will
Ours is
not just a “pie in the sky by and by” religion.
For we
know...
We “will
see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)
We will travel
the wilderness and also rest in verdant fields of green and waters serene.
We will
traverse valleys that are dark, gloomy, and stark
We will
relax at tables of plenty though
surrounded by enmity.
And in
all this...
We will be
pursued by God’s goodness and mercy.
(Psalm 23:2-6)
Goodness, which protects us from the enemy who seeks our ill
Mercy, when
the winds of sorrow and pain bring a chill
Goodness, not bought with money nor healed by a pill
Mercy that was shown
and
supplied on Calvary’s Hill
To My Father’s House, I Go
Over the hills and through the valleys
To my Father’s house, I go
My Shepherd knows the way
And leads me all the day
Be they bright or a stormy
fray
Over the hills and through the valleys
To my Father’s house, I go
My Good Shepherd, I will follow
In pastures green, by still waters to swallow
In dark vales and deepest
grotto
And when at last Your mansion, I see
With goodness and mercy following me
I will enter its gates with praise to Thee
And thankfulness, for I am happy and free
Because in Your presence forever I’ll be!
The Goodness of God, as sung by We the Kingdom
I love You, Lord, oh, Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice; You have led me through the fire
In darkest nights, You are close like no other
I've known You as a father; I've known You as a friend
And I have lived in the goodnеss of God, oh
And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now; I give You everything
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now; I give You everything
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
I sing of Your love, God, oh
And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Lifeway-worship-goodness-of-god-lyrics
Video: https://youtu.be/qVEOJzAYIW4
