[:en]This psalm is the recod of David’s experience after he had sinned with Bathseba and then confessed his sin to the Lord. David felt the heavy hand of God’s discipline (v. 4). But when he confessed it, it led to the forgiving hand of God’s mercy. Then it follows with the protecting hand of God’s grace when David wrote : “You are my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (v. 7) When God’s hand moved to protect David, he sang a song of deliverance.
There are three levels of God’s dealing with us. He can deal us like a thing, like an animal or like one of his children. In God’s dealing with David, he first treated David like a thing because he kept silent and was concealing his sin (v. 3). David was also acting like a horse when he implusively rushed ahead and sinned. And he became stubborn like a mule (v. 9). So God had to deal with him like an animal. But when David confessed his sins, God dealt him like a child when He said: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you” (v. 8)
What are the effects of concealing sin? – Bones wasted away and groaning all day long (v. 3) . We can not cover up guilt forever. God will not let us sweep our guilt under the rug and forget it. We have to confess it to set us free.
How did David set himself free from the guilt of sin?
1, Then I acknowledge my sins to you (v. 5a) – Face the reality of the problem
2. I did not cover up my iniquity (v. 5b) – Own up your sin. Do not rationalize and place blame on others
3. I will confess my transgressions to the Lord – Communicate a profound sorrow for what you have done and turning away from sin to follow God.
Finally, David ended his psalm with “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad your righteous, sing, all you who are upright in heart!” (v. 11). The guilt is gone and he has been set free.
If you sin, have you confessed it to the Lord? How is God dealing with you? Is God going to treat you like a thing because you are rebellious or as an animal because you are stubborn? Or do you want Him to treat you as a child to teach and guide your way. Will you choose to repent and ask forgiveness and submit to Him?[:]