Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity (2026)

Psalm 32

My brothers and sisters in Christ we have again this week for our meditation this day the Psalm, a wonderful Psalm that focuses on the confession of our sins, and the hope that we have of forgiveness. Who sins are not counted against him but instead receives that peace of God which surpasses all understanding. So let us examine this Psalm of David, and see why its words have been used in our Liturgy.

The Blessing of Forgiveness

God blesses us by covering our sins.

It is truly a marvelous thing that God covers our sins, instead of exposing them and punishing us for them in their totality. We see this especially in the garden after Adam and Eve sin, and the Lord comes and finds them. Before sending them out into the world, He provides them with a garment to cover them and keep them warm. What a great blessing this is.

What if the Lord did not count your sins?

Imagine trying to enumerate all of the sins that you have committed, we speak not just about the sins that we commit, but the sins where we omit, that is we know the right thing to do, and we don’t do it. The list from one year, let alone a week would be too many for us to list. Luther was known for spending hours in the confessional trying to name all of this sins that they might be forgiven, but he inevitably found more.

To be forgiven means God doesn’t remember your sins.

This is tremendous, when we talk about forgiveness that God covering over our sins, not ignoring them, but putting them to rest, is precious. When we talk about forgiveness here in this life, people will say I may forgive, but I will never forget, and will then hold your sins over your head, sins they swore they had forgiven. Imagine a bank acting like that, forgiving your debt and then suddenly asking why you aren’t making payments. When God forgives our sins, he remembers them no more.

To be under God’s hand

David tried to ignore his sin, and keep silent.

Indeed we know this temptation try to turn a blind eye to our preferred or pet sin, or something that we are ashamed of, and yet the sin builds. Our conscience continues to accuse us and say that we are not a good person, and so we try to find ways to convince ourselves that it isn’t our fault, the only reason we do evil is because someone else made us do it.

When we try to ignore sin, it weighs upon us.

We cannot escape the guilt and the shame that comes with sin, indeed the book of proverbs says, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” Prov 10:19 Why are you talking so much about it if it is all fine?

It prevents us from finding peace.

God’s hand lies heavy upon us and weighs us down afflicting us, for what God desires is our confession. For what does the Scripture say, if we confess our sins God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)

We are the children of Adam and Eve.

We try to make coverings like they did to hide our own shame and our own guilt but they are not enough, and we know it like they did in the garden, they tried to use leaves to cover their shame, and when confronted, they denied they were at fault. Adam blamed his wife, and then God, Eve blamed the serpent, they didn’t take responsibility. They fell from grace, adn didn’t want to suffer God’s wrath, and God spoke His words of Judgment on them, but He also gave to them a promise, and made clothing for them to cover their shame.

God Leads Us To Confess

To confess is to admit to our sins and no longer hide them.

The word in greek is homo-logeo which means to same speak. It means that we say the Scriptures are right, and I am in the wrong, I am a sinner and God is holy, I’m evil and God is good. Instead of denying or running from it.

Why is this hard?

From the time we are young and are put on the spot about our sins, we don’t want to admit the wrong that we have done and will seek to find anyway to avoid the shame that comes with it. We want to be the hero, we want to be the good guy, but sin forces all of us to recognize I’m not. We have to lay aside our pride and admit, we are have messed up and its weighing us down to hell.

The word here for forgive means to lift/carry,

So God is carrying upon himself the iniquity of our sin. We think of iniquity and sin as being the same thing, but you will notice, the text says, the iniquity of my sin. So iniquity is part of sin, but which part? What is God carrying for you?

Iniquity is our guilt and shame.

it is translated as wrongness of sin, but this is what Christ takes upon his shoulders for you. It is what Jesus takes to the cross for your sake, He carries it upon himself your guilt and your shame, and Jesus becomes despised and hated by God as he bears our shame on the cross.

Do Not Wait To Confess

When you realize your sin, bring it before God.

Why delay? If you know that you have committed wrong why put it off? If you compare it to a weight or chains that we are dragging around, why carry them around with you? They aren’t making you stronger, no matter how people may boast, they are weighing you down in the dust of death. Christ does not want that for you, He came to take them upon himself for your sake.

For there is a time when it is too late.

We see this again and again in the Scriptures where God shows great patience for He does not desire the death of the wicked, oftentimes people mistake God’s patience with permission. It is not the same, and there is a day of reckoning, like the people in the time of Noah discovered, when the waters flooded the earth. Now he put the rainbow in the sky as promise that He would never again flood the earth, but the day of our judgment will come, be it our death or the return of Christ. Then it is too late.

In the Lord, we find refuge.

Now this speaks of Christ, and the shadow of His cross, who has borne your sin, taken your guilt, and your shame and become the worst of sinners for you. He gave to you His righteousness, which means his innocence, and it covers your sin that you might find peace and joy in His Kingdom.

The Lord will be our Guide

The Lord will instruct and teach us.

What does the Lord use to teach all of His people? It’s the Word, that is why it will be a joyous day that we get to start our Bible Studies and Sunday School up again. For God does not tell us to follow our feelings, our heart, our thoughts, or any of those things that the World praises, for those lead us into death. God gave us His Word, that we might know what is true.

Don’t be a mule.

God is God, and His Will happens in heaven and on earth. You can fight against him, but it won’t work, and your life will be one of frustration and sorrows, rather learn God’s word and do the good he has planned for you in advance with a joyful heart. For the

Wanderers will encounter sorrows.

It is troubling when we see the wicked get away with evil, but it will fail them in the end. For all they chase after fleeting pleasures that will perish with this world, and Christ has won something for better for you. Satan will lead us on for a time, trying to convince us that we aren’t that far from God while we embrace all manner of evil, but Satan wants you to be far from God so that when the hammer drops you are trapped with him. Rather

Steadfast love, or mercy, surround those who trust in the Lord.

Which is to say our sins are forgiven, we are sheltered in the shadow of the Cross for that day when Christ returns in glory, and we are glad and rejoice and shout for joy for He has set us free from the power of sin, death, and the devil. It does not mean we will have all the world’s treasures, but that’s ok. For it is better to be a door keeper in the house of God, then dwell in the tents of the wicked.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Confess your sins, when the chains of guilt, shame, and punishment weigh heavily upon you, cast them upon Christ who has come to take your sins upon himself. Do not let any remain on your conscience but entrust them all to Him who shed His blood for you. For He is your refuge from trouble, and when you stand before His throne in Paradise, you will join in shouts of joy and gladness with all the saints. In Jesus name. Amen.