This is a psalm of restoration after sin. David reaffirms his confidence in his God. He could declare of the Lord, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Ps. 32:7). What this teaches us is that failure is never final! The Lord is able to recover anyone who has gone astray if there is honest confession and repentance (v. 5).

When we get into the presence of the Lord, He is able to adjust our perspective, as Asaph could attest in Psalm 73:17: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”

In the same way, getting into the presence of the Lord helps adjust our thinking along the way. First, He is able to instruct us, which is to teach us what is right. Second, getting into the presence of the Lord will teach us in the way we should go; this teaches us to stay right. Third, when we get our perspective adjusted it helps us to move forward with our eyes fixed on the right object! These steps help us to act wisely, and give us strength to keep pressing on in spite of our circumstances.

Hebrews 12:1–2 reminds us to run this race called life, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.” When we focus on our circumstances, we can become discouraged. If we focus on our failures, we find ourselves in disappointment. But looking to the Lord in difficult times can delight our hearts and strengthen us, not only for the future, but for the very present situation we find ourselves in—even in the midst of difficult circumstances!