Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Of David. A Maskil.

¹⁴ On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses all the days of his life.^(A)

¹⁵ The Lord said to Joshua, ¹⁶ “Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant to come up out of the Jordan.” ¹⁷ Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” ¹⁸ When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.^(B)

¹⁹ The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.^{(C) 20} Those twelve stones that they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal,^{(D) 21} saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’^{(E) 22} then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’^{(F) 23} For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea,^[a] which he dried up for us until we crossed over,^{(G) 24} so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”^(H)

⁶ So we are always confident, even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight.^{(A) 8} Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. ¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive due recompense for actions done in the body, whether good or evil.^(B)

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.^{(C) 12} We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart.^{(D) 13} For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.^{(E) 14} For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.^{(F) 15} And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for the one who for their sake died and was raised.