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Illustration for Psalm 32: The Joy of Forgiveness

Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

GratitudePraiseJoy

David made some big mistakes, and he felt terrible carrying that guilt around. When he finally admitted what he did wrong to God, God forgave him and he felt so light and happy! Being forgiven by God is the greatest feeling in the world.

  1. 1Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sin is covered.
  2. 2Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
  3. 3When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
  4. 4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
  5. 5Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"— and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
  6. 6Therefore let all the faithful pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
  7. 7You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
  8. 8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
  9. 9Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding, which must be controlled by bit and bridle, else they will not come to you.
  10. 10Many sorrows come to the wicked, but the LORD's loving devotion surrounds the man who trusts in Him.
  11. 11Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous! Sing, all you upright in heart!

What it means

Hiding the wrong things we've done makes us feel heavy and sad. But when we tell God and say we're sorry, He forgives us completely — and surrounds us with songs of relief and joy.

A little prayer

Lord, I'm sorry for the wrong I've done. Thank You for forgiving me completely — fill me with the happy, light feeling of being made clean. Amen.

Memory verse

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”

Psalm 32:1 (BSB)

It puts happiness and forgiveness in the same sentence, which is not where most people expect to find it.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. David says that keeping quiet about what he did wrong made him feel worn out. Have you felt that?
  2. The psalm calls the person who is forgiven 'blessed' — happy. Why would forgiveness make you happy rather than just relieved?
  3. God promises to teach and guide rather than to scold. Does that surprise you?
  4. Is there something small you need to say sorry for this week?

Try this

Heavy pockets

Put a stone in your pocket for every small thing you are carrying. Walk around with them for ten minutes. Then take them out one at a time, saying each thing quietly to God as you do. Notice the difference in how you walk.

You will need: A handful of small stones.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)