Topic: Joy of Confession (Psalm 32)
In Edgar Allan Poe’s story, The Tell-Tale Heart, the main character committed murder. Unable to escape the haunting guilt of his deed, he begins to hear the heartbeat of the victim he buried in his basement. A cold sweat covers him as he hears the beat-beat-beat of a heart that goes on relentlessly. Ultimately the heartbeat drives the man absolutely mad, not realizing that the sound was actually coming from the heart within his own chest. As so it is with a guilt ridden, unforgiving conscience.
David was a man who knew the heights of blessing. He was a man after God’s own heart. God chose him even though he was the least of his brothers. God set him upon the throne of Israel. He stood up to Goliath and the Philistines. He knew how to dance with joy before the Lord. David was a blessed man. What was David’s greatest blessing? The forgiveness of God (vs 1-2).
David knew the depths of spiritual despair and sin. The killing of Uriah the Hittite to cover up the adultery with Bathsheba comes to mind. As a result, his family was cursed. The son Bathsheba bore died. Ammon raped his sister Tamar. Absalom killed Ammon in revenge. Absalom usurped the throne and was killed by Joab. Even after David’s death, Adonijah had to be executed for treason against Solomon. A plague came on the people for David’s sin of numbering the people. These are just some of the difficulties his sin caused. The many troubles he had with Saul, his wife Michal, the Philistines and other problems also weighed David down.
David was a man haunted internally by his sin. In some ways, this is a good thing, because a person who can sin without regret is a person beyond redemption. The book of Hebrews tells us we should rejoice when the Lord disciplines us. This is because a father disciplines his own children and not someone else’s. David was still in a covenant relationship with God. David had tried to remain silent, but the Lord caused his bones to roar. The Lord would not let David sweep his sin under the rug.
David now realizes that confession before the Lord the only way he could deal with the pain of guilt. He acknowledged his sin. In Psalm 51, he adds “against thee only have I sinned.” He prayed to the Lord, and he found relief. The Lord had forgiven the iniquity of his sin.
The blessings of this life decay. The blessing of an upright heart is forever. Jesus gives eternal life to all who will believe in Him in their heart and then publicly confess Him. Instead of bringing a sacrificial animal in public contrition, they bring the sacrifice of praise and joy.
Don’t live another day hearing the heartbeat of sin. Live for all eternity in the peace of the forgiveness and wholeness of Christ’s forgiveness.
See you Sunday,
Dr. Scott Kallem