Sunday Psalms: Chapters 32-34

Psalm 32:3 "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long."

Hiding sin will destroy you from the inside out. By its very nature, sin craves darkness; Satan wants it to stay buried deep in your heart where no one can see and intervene. When we let God's Light in, though, the devil flees. He can't stand in the presence of the Truth; the Father of Lies has no place there.

Confession is good for the soul. Whatever you're struggling with, don't shove it deep into your heart where it will grow and fester. Instead, let God, the Master Gardener, in with His Light to root out the lie and replace it with Himself. Talk to God; when it's appropriate, talk to a trusted confidante. Don't let sin wallow in your silence. Speak Truth and let the Light in.

Psalm 33:11 "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations."

God isn't fazed by the things that happen here on earth. He doesn't ever panic and have to reactively change His plans. God's plans are timeless. He sees everything that is happening, He knows everything that will happen, and His plan remains the same through it all. I find that immensely comforting. Nothing surprises God. Nothing ever can surprise God.

Also, human plans are always subject to change. We can't see the whole picture. It's fine to make plans, but don't hold on tightly. God's plan is the only one we can cling to with absolute assurance of success. We can always trust Him.

Psalm 34:7 "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them."

I love this imagery. Imagine a battlefield, surrounded by enemy troops. They are big and nasty-looking. They salivate at the sight of you. And deep into your bones you feel the fear – chilling, destroying, eating its way into your very soul.

Then, from above, a mighty thunderclap tears through the clouds, a beam of unimaginable light pinpoints the earth, and a massive golden chariot descends to stand in front of you. Inside is an enormous angel, clothed in armor and carrying the most impressive sword you could possibly imagine. A ring of burning light surround you; the fear melts away, leaving peace in its wake. And out among the enemy hordes, the malicious sneers have disappeared. Instead, in their beady little eyes, you see… fear. For they have encountered the power of the Lord Almighty, Who sends His angels to protect His children, and they must be very, very afraid.

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What do these verses say to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!