Let us look again to Psalm 32, which is entitled “A Psalm Of David, Maschil”.  We have found in our study this central thought, ‘Instructions On The Plight Of The Sinner’.   We have seen the ‘Confidence’ (vs. 1-2), and ‘Conviction’ (vs. 3-4) of the sinner.  This week let us look at the ‘Conversion’ of the sinner in verses 6- 7 which says, “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou are my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

It is in these two verses that we find the great work of sanctification that is only produced in the life of the converted soul.  Many today teach that salvation is a sovereign work of God but sanctification is the work of which man shares responsibility in.  Ezekiel said, ‘God will put His Spirit within us, cause us to walk with Him, and keep His commandments.’  In these two verses we see in the conversion work of the sinner sanctification will produce four great marks of true salvation.

True conversion will first of all produce ‘Prayer’. (Vs. 6a)  David says that the godly will pray.  What better place to go in a time of sanctification than the Lord.  I am interested in the time that David prayed, a time when God could be found.  We are told in the scripture to call upon Him when He is near and search for Him when He can be found.   Oh child of God let us be assured He is always near, call upon Him.  He can be found if we seek for Him with our whole heart.  Let us remember when others see us praying they too will be provoked to pray.  “Where one man finds a golden nugget others feel inclined to dig.” (Spurgeon)  In the conversion of Paul, when he was found by Ananias, Paul was praying.  It is the place of commencement in a true conversion.  Let it be the place of continuance in sanctification.

In verse 6b-7a we find in the life of the converted that sanctification will produce a ‘Position’.  David says that the floods of life cannot come nigh unto him because ‘…thou art my hiding place’.  The phrase, ‘hiding place’, is a high tower where one runs into for refuge.  “To lay our hand upon the Lord with the clasp of a personal ‘My’ is a delight beyond our expression.” (Spurgeon)  Let us remember that our position of being ‘in Christ’ and ‘Christ in us’ is not a tower we run to in a time of trouble.  It is a dwelling place in which we constantly find our home.

In verse 7b we find a third thing that sanctification will produce in the converted and that is ‘Preservation’.  David said, “…thou shalt preserve me in trouble;’ The word ‘preserve’ means to conceal, hide, and fully maintain.  Let us be assured today that He preserves us and not we ourselves.  Trouble can do no real harm if the Lord be with us.  He has designed it to perfect us.  It will be like the file that cleans away the rust, yet does no harm to the metal.  He will preserve us and trouble will produce only His likeness in us.

Let us look last of all in verse 7b at what is produced by the converting work of sanctification.  We find it will produce ‘Praise’.  David says he finds himself surrounded with songs of deliverance.  He who just a few verses ago was roaring like a dying animal is now basking in songs of praise.  “What can the devil do to a person who turns every experience of life into an opportunity for praise?” (John Phillips)  Paul and Silas with backs torn to shred by a Roman scourge, hands and feet bound, have turned it into an opportunity to sing praises to the Lord. No wonder David closes with the word ‘Selah’.  It is mentioned as a note to be held, belt it out.  This is the crescendo and high peak of this converting work.