You Are My Hiding Place

GRACE LANDING March 16.2025

“YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE”

 ‘Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord .” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. ‘ Psalms 32:1-8 NLT

Story of a Pardon. Prisoners who are released from a Presidential pardon.

The joy of forgiveness and the joy of shelter protection

1. The Debt Against You – Psalm 32:1-2

‘Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

1. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Whose sin is covered.

A PARDON  Mercy, Grace displayed. Compassion and the penalty was paid. May have been a model prisoner, learned some lessons in life, etc. 

• Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and whose spirit there is no deceit” Ps. 32:2 NKJV

 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! Ps. 32:2 NLT

• The Pain within You –  Psalm 32:3-5

 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord .” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.  Ps. 32:3-5

1. I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away. He lost his strength-

Sin affects the body! David was trying to bury his sin.

King Davids sin Bathsheba and sending her husband Uriah to the front lines in battle. Conspired to have him killed on the front lines. His conscious bothered him daily.

Unconfessed sin can do a number on our bodies, mind, emotions… God keeps good records.

B. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord .” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 

“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave me the iniquity of my sin.” Ps. 32:5 NKJV

David Humble Confession. Psalm 51:1-11

‘Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only have sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so, you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ‘Psalms 51:1-4 NIV

We should also learn to be forgiving ,or it may make us weary and lose strength. Bitterness, grudges…

 A Story of A daughter’s father who was addicted to drugs. 

“My dad was an addict. He died from an overdose in 2018.
I once got mad at him when his food stamp card didn’t work, and I had to pay for his groceries. It wasn’t really about the money.
I gave him a hard time when he broke my glass measuring cup. It wasn’t really about the cup.
He complimented my new haircut, and I got so angry because he had already seen it before. I assumed he was too drunk to remember. It wasn’t really about my hair.
I drove him to doctor after doctor, rehab after rehab, but I was often impatient. I let him see how frustrated I was by everything he needed from me. It wasn’t really about the time.
He was homeless for years. He stood on street corners with a sign asking for food or money.
I loved him, but I was often embarrassed by him. I was angry about my childhood and how it affected my adult life. And I found ways to take it out on him. Now he’s gone, and I’m not mad at him anymore. I’m mad at myself for letting my inability to forgive him get in the way of our relationship. He is free now. But I’m still carrying the weight of all the grace I should have given him when he needed it most.
Give forgiveness, because the regret of not giving it is heavier than all the anger I carried for years.”

• The Flood around You – Psalm 32:6-7

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Ps. 32:6-7

There is always still time to pray and ask for forgiveness. 1 John 1:9

1. Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

God uses difficult circumstances to bring us back to himself – Jonah went into the opposite direction. He was running from the Lord. Notice his prayer in the belly of the great fish! Jonah 2:1-4-“Then Jonah Prayed and Cried Out to the Lord”!

Where do e go when we are in the storm? To God’s Hiding Place. There is peace there and shelter.

• You are My Hiding Place – Psalm 32:7

Hiding Place- “God is my island hideaway” The Message  A HIDEAWAY

Do you have that place where you can get alone with God and pour out your heart Alone with Him?

“You shall preserve me and protect me from trouble” Psalm 32:7 

 “Keeps dangers far from shore” Message                                                          Exodus 14:13-14

“Hide me under the shadow of Your wings”                                                           Psalm 17:8

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall

abide under the shadow  of the Almighty.”                                                           Psalm 91:1

The SECRET PLACE – THE Hideaway

 “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle”                                                                                                                                   Psalm 27:5 NKJV

“He who dwells in the  secret place of the Most High SHALL ABIDE under the shadow of the Almighty”                                                                     Psalm 91:1-2

“You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence”                      Psalm 31:20a

‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:4-5 NKJV

Abide –‘Remain in Me’ Jesus said. Remain in the Vine

The True Vine is our life source for everything in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• You Surround me with Songs of Deliverance                                     Psalm 32:7b

Surround to  ‘encompass’ RSV

Deliverance- Victory!  THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS-SALVATION!

Paul and Silas in Prison                                                                           Acts 16:25-26

‘Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! ‘ Acts of the Apostles 16:25-26 NLT

All the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed. Act 16:26 b

There is Power in Praise! True Deliverance                                             2 Chronicles :17-22

The Lord set an ambush against the enemies who came against Judah.

‘But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord ’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord , the God of Israel, with a very loud shout. Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord . Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord ; his faithful love endures forever!” At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. ‘                                                              2 Chronicles 20:17-22

Conclusion: The Joy of Forgiveness

Why do we sing? Why do we shout? We have been forgiven by The Lord Almighty!

There is deliverance for You Today Like Paul and Silas.

‘In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord . Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord , the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord , proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. ‘                              Isaiah 12:1-4

Lord I come to you today and confess my ____________, please forgive me. Cleanse me of all my sins, and keep me by Your grace to walk in Your ways In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.