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Telling my acquaintances that I'm "saved" May puzzle more than enlighten them. But the term derives from a basic biblical concept. King David knew he was in deep trouble when forced to face his own sinfulness (2 Samuel 11 and 12). During this ordeal he wrote two psalms. Psalm 51 paints the bleak "before," with its anguish as he longed for forgiveness. Psalm 32 splashes in the ecstatic "after," savoring the sensation of being rescued.

1. How does David describe the results of trying to hide his sin (verses 3–4)? How does this compare to your experience?
2. What does David say was involved in confessing his sin to God (verse 5)? Have you agreed with God's assessment of your actions, and resolved to forsake them?
3. What were the results of David's confession (verses 1–2, 5)? Have you ever felt elated just knowing that your slate has been wiped clean?
4. What does his experience cause David to urge others to do (verse 6)? Why is procrastinating risky?

Ask God to help you to stop rationalizing sinful thought patterns and actions, and to accept God's evaluation of them. Ask that you would experience the joy of forgiveness, and the release that comes from forsaking sin to faithfully follow God.

A psalm of David

1 Oh, what joy for those
whose rebellion is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the LORD has cleared of sin,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
I was weak and miserable,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide them.
I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD."
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time,
that they May not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

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Prayer for the Week

God, You sent Your Son because mankind needed rescuing. I'm ready to admit that I'm no exception, and ask You to take charge of my life.

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