Prayer of Confession

Pilgrim Prayer: Psalms for the Journey PART I
Dr. Timothy Keller
22 February 2015

Psalm 32: 1-11
1Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit
3When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord."
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
7You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9Do not be like the horse of the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord's unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 32 is one of six Penitential Psalms

POISON OF SIN
--Transgressions - self assertiveness (v.1)
--Internal impulse that nobody can tell me what to do.
--Active inclination to break the rules, promises, and relationships.
--Sin is the fabric of going against how God made things.
--Lying to people is about manipulating and controlling them.
--Sin is poisoning of reality.
--Covering ourselves because we don't live up to our own standards. (v.1)

TREATMENT OF SIN
--Confession (v.5)
--Getting the right standard (v.5 ....acknowledged my sin to you)
--1 Corinthians 4:3
--Paul writes about his conscience being clear because only because God can judge AND that he knows he's not innocent.
--Take full responsibilities for your iniquities--no blame shifting.
--Liberating confession frees you from self-pity which comes from hating the consequences of the sin, not hating the sin itself.
--Liberating confession frees you from self--flagellation and trying to atone for sins on your own.
--Guilt is to be evil and twisted

ANTIDOTE OF SIN
--v.2 David has divine revelation regarding premonitions of JC as savior.
--Paul cites David in Romans 4
--Death on the cross is a time that JC was totally uncovered.
--Free-ness of Grace on the cross - 1John 1:9