May 7, 2014
Psalm 32:10, 11
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
We’ll finish Psalm 32 today, continuing our consideration of verses 10 and 11:
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy
shall surround him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and
shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
As we saw in Monday’s blog, David had more than his share of sorrows following his sins of adultery and murder, lying and cover-up. Yes, he was wicked in his actions! And the sorrows came! But he continued to trust in the Lord, and mercy was shown him!
How can these two things – being a wicked sinner and trusting in the Lord – be reconciled? He was a great sinner, but he was also a great repenter! And it says in Proverbs 28:13, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Or – as David wrote in verse 10 – “…he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.”
This ruler of Israel from 3,000 years ago encourages me! I have sinned greatly before God. We all have! And David’s son King Solomon said the same in I King’s 8:46, “…there is no one who does not sin….” This fact is stated many times in other scriptures (see Psalm 14:2 and 3; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 53:6 and 64:6; Romans 3:9 through 19 and 23; Romans 5:12; Galatians 3:22). And we have all experienced troubles because of our sinful actions. It may be severe trouble, such as loss of mate or family, broken health or abject poverty. It may be troubles that are not apparent, such as loss of joy and peace of mind in your life. But, as David wrote, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked….”
But in all his troubles, David found strength in God. A good example is in I Samuel 30. He and his men came back to Ziklag where they were living at the time. But while they were away, Amalekites had raided the town, burned it to the ground, and taken captive the women and children, including David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. The six hundred men in David’s army were so distraught, they blamed David for their troubles and talked of stoning him. “…but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God,” it says in I Samuel 30:6. He knew “…he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.”
For all that God has done in our lives, Christian – Jesus dying to save us, rising from death to justify us, ever living to pray for us, giving us abundant and eternal life, and so much more – verse 11 of Psalm 32 ought to be abundantly realized in our lives! “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” We are upright in heart only because God has imputed His own Son’s perfect righteousness to our account! And that after transferring our multitudinous sins to His own account – and paying for them with His own blood! Shouldn’t that make us glad? Shouldn’t that make us rejoice? Shouldn’t that make us shout for joy?
It reminds me of a parable Jesus told in Luke 7:41 and 42:
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred
denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay,
he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him
more?
Simon the Pharisee – to whom the parable was directed – gave the correct answer, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” (Luke 7:43). The Lord then applied it to the situation at hand. It seems a sinful woman had positioned herself behind Jesus and proceeded to wash His feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and anoint them with fragrant oil. Self-righteous Simon reasoned that if Jesus was really a man of God, He would not let such a sinful woman touch Him! But the Master praised her for what she had done, adding in Luke 7:47, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Does your love for the Lord show forth with gladness, rejoicing, and even shouting for joy? Ok, maybe you are not the “shoutin’ type”! But if you are a Christian, do you realize the great and heinous sins that were stacked up in your account before Jesus entered your life? Think about David’s example. Then think about your own life in Christ. Ask God to help you to regularly show forth Psalm 32:11: “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”