Please have another read of Psalm 32 in bold above. Does it surprise you?
Over the years I’ve seen at least five instances of stealing. The amounts varied; not one of those thieves confessed. I’ve also heard of several instances of cheating at examinations. None were brought to account by the authorities and the cheats went on, one in particular to seemingly great things in the Island. None confessed.
Adultery? Murder? Fraud? Cheating? All of them concealed by the person concerned. Yes. But King David, unusually, wanted to make it abundantly clear to everyone how he felt when he was in denial.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Because day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
But then a change occurred which made him happy indeed. 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.
What did he mean by “the iniquity of my sin”? Was “the iniquity” the inner desire which gives rise to “my sin”? Was that forgiven as well?
He was able to formulate – in this Psalm – this song – a general principle. Happy indeed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
In whose spirit there is no deceit…? No deceit in my spirit? Yes, no deceit - especially towards the LORD.
|