The Blessedness of Confession

“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psa 32:3-5 ESV)

Two time presidential candidate John Edwards has been very much in the news for the last several days because of an affair that he had with Rielle Hunter. After denying the affair, he finally confessed to it in an interview with Bob Woodruff of ABC News. In that interview, he said that he had "made a mistake" and that he had confessed that mistake to his wife, and to his Lord, and had found forgiveness. I couldn't help but think about this incident when I read this text this morning as part of my Bible reading schedule.

The purpose if this writing is not to criticize or cast judgment on Mr. Edwards. I sincerely feel sorry for his wife and family. My hope is that he really does know the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he truly has received forgiveness, not only for the sin of adultery, but for all of his sins. The truth is, there is no one reading this, including the writer or is without sin, and in need of God's forgiveness through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But this incident reminds us of some truths about confession--truths that are found in this psalm. Allow me just to list some of them for you.

1. Happy is the man whose sin is forgiven. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,” (Psa 32:1-2 ESV) There is no greater joy, than knowing that all is well between you and the Lord, and that all of your sin is confessed and forgiven, and no longer held against you!
2. Miserable is the Christian who is living with un-confessed sin. “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah” (Psa 32:3-4 ESV) They are the recipients of God's chastening hand. They are acquainted with Godly sorrow, because the Spirit of God that lives within them is grieved, they are going to be grieved!
3. Confession involves more than saying "I made a mistake." “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”” (Psa 32:5 ESV) Notice that the psalmist did not say, "I confessed my mistakes" but rather, "I acknowledged my sin...I will confess my sin." A mistake is something that you did not intend to do. A sin is on purpose. It is rebellion against the commandments of God. It is much worse than a mistake. Jesus Christ did not die for our mistakes, rather He died for is sins!
4. God is faithful to forgive when true confession is made. “and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psa 32:5 ESV) This is something that we should stop and think on. God has forgiven you dear reader of every sin, if you have truly confessed it in dependence upon Christ! Therefore you can pray with confidence! “Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.” (Psa 32:6 ESV)
5. Confession of sin gives confidence in time of trouble. “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psa 32:7-8 ESV) One of the most important elements of this is the confidence that God will lead and guide us!
6. Confession of sin restores our ability to enjoy our God. “but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psa 32:10-11 ESV)
7. Confession of sin is evidence that we are truly trusting the LORD. but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.

"Father, please help us to confess our sins to you, and not live in the misery of unconfessed sin. Thank you for the promise of your Word that tells us that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousnesses." Thank you for the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have forgiveness of our sins."

How Do You React to Bad News?

“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.” (Neh 1:4-11 ESV)

How do you respond to bad news? Our automatic first response to bad news can tell us a lot about our hearts. In Nehemiah's case, his response was to weep and mourn, which are understandable human responses. But that is not all that he did. He prayed and fasted. This tells us where Nehemiah's confidence was. It could have been said of him, “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.” (Psa 112:7 ESV)

Prayer and fasting indicate that we are in fact trusting in the LORD.

Notice several elements of his prayer.

1. He recognized the greatness of the God to whom he was speaking. “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments," It is very important for us to realize that when we pray we are not just saying words in the air, but talking to the "great and awesome God" who is faithful to keep His promises.

2. He requested that God hear His prayer. "let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants,"

3. He confessed sin. " confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses." If we confess and repent of our sin, no matter what they have been, God will hear and forgive. This will put us in a position to get our prayers heard and answered.

4. He claimed a promise. "though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’" There are so many faith strengthening promises to claim, all of which God will be faithful to keep and honor.

5. He made His request. "They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

This pattern is so often repeated in Scripture that we dare not overlook it but pay close attention to it.

What problems are you facing today dear reader? In closing consider the following promises of God from todays reading in Psalms.

“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm,* “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” (Psa 31:19-24 ESV)

The Hand of the Lord His God was Upon Him.

“this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:6, 10 ESV)

The phrase, "The hand of the Lord his God was on him." means that God worked in his life in such a way that Ezra was successful in what he set out to do. It means that what he tried to do, was in the will of God, and therefore it was successful. But notice several things about him:

He was very knowledgeable of the Word of God, "skilled in the law of Moses"
He had set his heart to study the law of God.
He had made up his mind that he was going to do the law of God and teach it.

I believe that if those goals are our goals, that the Lord will put his hand upon our lives, and make whatever we do to prosper as well.

"Lord give us a heart not only to seek your word, but to do it, and teach others to do it as well. Help us to be disciples, of yours, and make disciples of yours."

Having the Support of the Prophets

“Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.” (Ezra 5:1-2 ESV)

A prophet is one who speaks for God to men. He utters God's words to the people. Prophets aren't perfect. Not everything they say is correct. Not all of the ways of thinking are correct. They are not infallible. However, they are the means that God uses to get His message to His people.

It is interesting to me that when Jerrubbabel, and Jeshua began to rebuild the Temple, The Bible says that the "prophets of God were with them, supporting them." They were not just taking on this project on their own. This was not just a whim of theirs. This was the will of God, and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

How we need the prophets of God to be with us in our lives and supporting us! Those who truly speak the words of God to men, are the ones whose presence and support we need in our lives.

This means that anything that we undertake to do, needs to be something that Scripture would support. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2Pet 1:20-21 KJVS)

But this also means that we need the support of those men, through whom God speaks today, as they proclaim the Scriptures, and as the Holy Spirit speaks through them to particular situations in our lives.

As we build our homes, our marriages, our businesses, we need the support of God's Word, and God's men in our lives.

I thank God for the elders in my church who speak into my life, and support me and help me. I am especially appreciative of my pastor, and friend Russell Taylor, who loves me enough to meet with me and speak into my life, and hear my confessions of sin, and pray for me.

I am thankful for Terry Spears who loves me and speaks into my life almost daily. I have watched this man go through very difficult trials, and stay steadfast in the Lord.


I am thankful for the Scriptures, those written words of the prophets of old who spoke the message of God. I have not been as faithful to them as I ought for several days. These men have been faithful to gently remind me to get back into the Word. I am thankful for them.

Dear reader, you need the support of the prophets in whatever endeavors you are engaged, especially when you are inundated with the cares of this life, and struggling. Opposition is going to come just like it did for these two men. But blessed is the man, who, when facing opposition in his endeavors, has the support of the prophets of God.

"Father, thank you for giving us those through whom you speak to us. Grant us the wisdom to seek the support and presence of the prophets in our lives."