When I began reading chapter 4, I got stuck on a word in verse 1. It says that God declares me INNOCENT. The enormity of that statement alone is mind-blowing. How can a righteous and just God (see II Corinthians 5:21 & Job 37:23) look on me — a sinner — and say ‘You are innocent’? How can a God that is holy see me as worthy to be called his own? This gift God has given us through his Son Jesus is amazing and something we shouldn’t take for granted.
In this Psalm, David speaks with confidence that the Lord hears him – He is listening – He will answer. That is the kind of confidence I want to have when I am approaching the Lord. I want to be bold. I want to know the favor of the Lord. We see this in verse 3 when David emphatically states ‘You can be sure of this’. There is no question. There is no hesitation. There is confidence and we also can have that confidence.
The other verse that really jumped out for me was verse 5. It says ‘offer sacrifices in the right spirit and trust the Lord. What kind of sacrifices can I offer to the Lord? What are some things I am holding on to that can be given away? How can I bless others and in so doing show someone else the love of Jesus? When I give, am I giving with the right attitude. Maybe my sacrifice should be in proportion to how grateful I am that God has declared me INNOCENT.