Year 5, Day 178: Psalm 32-33

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Forgiveness, Information

• Forgiveness: Forgiveness is when our sins are absolved by God.  We do not deserve this forgiveness, but God grants it to us anyway.  We cannot earn forgiveness, but God gives it to us anyway.  As we are forgiven by God, He also asks us to forgive others.  In fact, Jesus Himself teaches us to pray for our forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer when He says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
• Information: This is the initial phase of become a disciple of Jesus.  Before we can do anything meaningful we must begin to understand what we are doing.  We may never gain full understanding of God and His ways, but God calls us to study Him, His Son, and His ways as the foundation of being His follower.

This is twice since studying the psalms that I have grouped the ideas of forgiveness and information together.  I think that this is as important pattern to see.  It is essentially the theme of Psalm 32 and is highly supported by Psalm 33.  We are taught by God.  But in order to be taught by God, we must humble ourselves before Him and put ourselves in a position of being ready and willing to learn.  That takes submission and forgiveness.

Look at where Psalm 32 begins.  The psalmist notes that at one point in his life he was silent.  When he was silent, he was essentially rotting away in his life.  But then a change came.  Then he confessed his sins.  Then he was forgiven.  Then God came into his life and added meaning to it through His instruction in His ways.  That’s largely the process of spiritual growth right there.

Psalm 33 takes this pattern and goes on with it further.  The Lord’s instruction is great.  It leads to faithfulness and an upright heart.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever while it frustrates the wisdom of the nations.  But the crux of this psalm is getting the listener to the natural outcome of the greatness of the Lord and His instruction.  Because of the Lord and His ways, we should praise Him and give glory to His name.

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