Wisdom Wednesday: The Wisdom Of Turning Around
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
“I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.” (Psalm 32:5-6 NASB 95)
In Psalm 32, David rejoices in the forgiveness of God. He confessed the pain he endured when he hid his sin (vv. 13-4)–his body wasted, he groaned all day long, and his vitality (motivation) was drained away. How dreadful to be in guilt and conviction about his sin–David, a man of God! Perhaps this Psalm follows Psalm 51, where David seeks pardon from God after his sin with Bathsheba (his sin of adultery and murder is recorded in II Samuel 11).
Yet, in the next verses (vv. 5-6), he explains the joy when he wisely turned and confessed his sin to God. He received forgiveness, and the burden was lifted. Confession before God is a necessity to walk in wisdom—repentance (an attitude of the heart) and confession (an action to call on God) are both an element of wisdom.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary says, “The Hebrew word that most closely approximates “repent” or “repentance” is translated into English as “return,” which basically means “to turn around and go in the opposite direction.” We move from rebellion toward God in our sin to confession to God—our humble acknowledgement of our transgression.
Yes, repentance and confession are a part of living the life of wisdom. If we are wise, we will confess our sins and be restored to the fellowship of walking with God – and as David said, we will be forgiven from the guilt of our sin and be secure in Him. The flood of tests and trials in life (the “great waters”) will not reach us.