Psalms: Seeking God's Presence. Psalm 32 - Gift of Confession & Psalm 62 - At Rest in God Alone

Read Psalm 32

Read Leslie Brandt’s paraphrase of Psalm 32 - see below at end of questions:

• What lines or words stand out to you from these readings?

Read Psalm 62

Read it again, in a different translation.

• What stands out to you in these readings?

Both of these Psalms invite us to consider some things we may have been carrying for a long time: unconfessed sin, or deep fatigue.

Psalm 32:5, and Psalm 62:1-2, point to some of the benefits of bringing these things before God.

• How do you find it, confessing your sins to God?
• Are there any people, or particular spaces (e.g. prayer, Christian counselling, a small group) where you find it easier to confess your sins?
• Have you experienced any positive outcomes after confessing your sins?
• How do you find it, taking time to rest in God’s presence?
• Are there any people, or particular spaces (e.g. worship, a particular kind of prayer, a retreat) that help you do this?
• Have you noticed any benefits in your own life when you are able to regularly rest in God’s presence?
  Have you noticed any downsides when you have not been able to do this regularly?
• How can we pray for you this week?

“Psalm 32,” in Leslie F. Brandt, Psalms/Now.

The person who knows the meaning of forgiveness,

Who is no longer plagued by past failures,

Who stands blameless and guilt-free before God,

That person is rich indeed.

Every time I attempt to handle my own guilt –

By ignoring it, rationalising it, or just running away from it –

Some unseen power or pressure from the depths of my being squeezes my life dry, leaving me empty.

But when I face up to my failures and confess them,

When I open my guilt-ridden heart to you, O God,

Then I realise the blessed meaning of forgiveness.

Thus everyone who claims faith in the loving God needs to cling to His acceptance and concern.

Times of darkness will come.

Life’s storms and tempests will continue to rage, but the faithful shall not be destroyed.

You are, O God, a place of refuge.

You enable us to face our problems,

You keep us from being destroyed by them.

Even within the darkness surrounding me, in the midst of life’s turmoil,

I can hear the voice of God:

“Even these things serve a purpose in your life. Don’t sell them short for they are steps along My path for you. Stop being stubborn and stupid like some undiscerning jackass that has to be driven with sticks or whips.”

The faithful and faithless both suffer the uncertainties and insecurities of this life,

but the children of God can depend always on the love of their Father.

It is for this reason that there is light even in the midst of darkness,

Incomprehensible joy in the midst of sorrow,

And we can find a measure of happiness and well-being

regardless of the circumstances that surround us.