Reflections from Daily Reading, Feb 14th

Psalm 32 is a powerful reminder of the grace of confession. The psalm opens by declaring,  “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”  After this opening flurry of blessedness, the psalmist recounts a not-so-blessed time when his “bones were wasting away,” his “strength was dried up,” he groaned all day long and felt God’s heavy hand upon him. Why? Because he was silent; he harbored and buried his sin. But, the turn comes in verse five, “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.”  The soul finds healing in confession and the forgiveness God offers to the penitent. Great Psalm for Ash Wednesday! DW