A Meditation on Psalm 32 - Taizé Style

This meditation was first presented by the author at a Lenten interdenominational Taizé style service on the Gold Coast, Queensland. In each section, the first few lines that are in italics are from Psalm 32. The prose section is a brief mediation on those lines and this is followed by a meditation on the same verse in poetic form. It is intended to be read aloud and very slowly as one meditates on the thoughts expressed.

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

How happy and blessed we are when God forgives,

our sins are hidden from sight and are visible no more.

When our sins are forgiven, our souls fly free,

Released from our burdens, blessed are we.

Happy are those to whom the Lord

imputes no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

How happy and blessed we are

when our sins are wiped away

And our hearts are cleansed

from all false pretence and duplicity.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

those with no guile,

Human spirit with Holy Spirit,

here for a while.

While I kept silence, my body wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

When I turned from my Father, I was filled with guilt

and unhappiness. My soul was in anguish.

Through sin and silence I cut myself off from Father's love,

Hung my head down, in misery, far from heaven above.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not hide my iniquity.

I said, 'I will confess my transgressions

to the Lord,'

and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

We cannot hide our sin, but when we

confess to Father, our guilt is washed away.

Wash me, Lord, the depth of my sin is like the wild sea;

Drown my old nature, Father, that I may be reborn in Thee.

I will instruct you and teach you

the way you should go,

I will counsel you with my eye

upon you.

When we remove the barrier

we have erected

between us and God,

we are open to His instruction.

He watches over us

like a shepherd,

and keeps us safe.

Cleansed and open

I patiently wait to follow your way

Knowing you are watching over me,

my fears to allay.

Steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.

When we put complete trust in our Father God,

we can receive His protective and everlasting love

and we can love Him more freely.

When we trust and obey, His love surrounds,

Everlasting, abiding love, which knows no bounds.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy.

In the light and warmth of God's surrounding love,

we are glad, we rejoice, we shout for joy!

Now we come close to our Father's heart

And rejoice that nothing can keep us apart,

God's love so great that He gave His Son

Who shed His blood that we may be

Forgiven and loved for all eternity.