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Spiritually Speaking => Pastor Al Moak's Study => Manna For The Soul => Songs of Worship & Psalm 119~Psalms Studies => Topic started by: Al Moak on April 26, 2003, 10:12:54 AM

Title: Psalm 38
Post by: Al Moak on April 26, 2003, 10:12:54 AM
Psalm 38

We sin.  Then we cover our sin.  Then we lie to ourselves and tell ourselves we haven't really sinned (rationalization).  As if all this wasn't bad enough, we then repeat the process over and over again – every day.

Of course sometimes we do or say things we can't rationalize. We may attempt to hide those particular sins from ourselves or others, and we feel terrible about it (but not terrible enough to confess it).  The result of such suppression is a growing load of guilt, a load that, if left unconfessed and growing, begins to result in the physical symptoms the Psalmist talks about in this psalm.  He says, "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin."

David had experienced all that.  His sin with Bathsheba was pleasurable for a moment - but it added an unbearable weight to his load of guilt, especially after he tried to cover it with the subsequent murder of her husband.  He actually experienced all the consequences he lists in this psalm. 

Eventually, there was confession and forgiveness for David, though, and his love for God and God's people then moved him to lead the people in this song - so that they might not have to experience the same consequences. Hopefully, as he led them in these words, they'd see their need for daily confession and their need to remain guilt free and open to their God.

For us, too, there's need for daily confession and forgiveness.  Read carefully here about the result of not confessing sin, of attempting to hide it and of pretending it never existed.  Then, when you've done that, consider carefully David's eventual explosion in prayer.  He finally just has to cry out, "For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin . . . Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me!  Make haste to help me, O Lord of my salvation!"

The lesson is that procrastination is deadly, as David sadly discovered, and the only solution is to confess every sin.  After all, Jesus Christ  won't be surprised by it – He knew all your sin long ago.  He knew it when He became your Sponsor and when He "gave Himself, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God."  He knows you - and still loves you!  The result of that love is expressed by John.  He says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!"