Psalms in Worship—Psalm 32 A Sequence for Confession-Assurance, Prayers of the People, and Preparation for Hearing God’s Word

Published February 17, 2026

Updated February 17, 2026

trees by streams of water
By Joyce Borger

Psalm 32 talks about the need for forgiveness and God’s mercy, about the importance of prayer and how joy and happiness grows from the soil of a life that follows God’s instructions. What follows is a litany for a leader and congregation that utilizes Psalm 32 for a confession-assurance sequence, prayers of the people, and as a preparation for the reading and preaching of God’s Word. You can use them as a unified sequence or separate them and place them where they naturally fit in your worship outline. 

Litanies Using Psalm 32

Call to Confession

Leader: 

Psalm 32 calls us to confess our sins with these words: 

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.

Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

All: 

 

While I kept silent, my body wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
—Psalm 32:1–4 NRSVUE

Leader: 

Sin gets in the way of our relationship with God and others. 
Let us therefore come 
before God and confess our sin. 

Prayer of Confession

Holy God, if we fail to confess our sins, the psalmist tells us that our body will waste away, that our days will be filled with groaning. Modern medicine tells us that guilt does indeed affect our bodies, and while we might not groan outwardly everything does become harder. Harder to remember our lies, to protect ourselves from being found out, to push the guilt down further into our souls. As we work to keep from being found out, we build walls to insulate ourselves from those we want to hide our sin from. We push those who love us away—we push you away. 

The psalmist also teaches us that peace and happiness arise from being forgiven. Holy Spirit, bring to our mind the sins which we need to confess, so that there may be no deceit in us. Listen to the prayers of our hearts during this time of silence.

Silent prayers of confession. 

Hear our prayer, listen to our confession, and grant us forgiveness. 

Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

Leader: 

The writer of Psalm 32 continues, 

All:

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.
—Psalm 32:5 NRSVUE 

Leader: 

Praise God. In Christ we are forgiven. 

Song of Praise

“Gloria Patri/Glory Be to the Father” 

[Use whatever version is familiar to your community or choose another appropriate song of praise.] 

Prayers of the People 

Leader: 

Having been forgiven, 
and being in a right relationship with God,
we continue to speak to God 
through our prayers of intercession and lament. 

As it is written in Psalm 32: 

Therefore let all who are faithful
    offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
    shall not reach them.
—Psalm 32:6 NRSVUE

Let us pray. 

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts. 

All: 

 

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. 
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE

Leader: 

 

We pray for the world… 

[Add appropriate intercessions.]

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts. 

All: 

 

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE

Leader: 

We pray for our nation… 

[Add appropriate intercessions.]

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts.

All:

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE 

Leader: 

We pray for our city/town/community… 

[Add appropriate intercessions.]

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts. 

All:

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE 

Leader: 

We pray for the witness of your people… 

[Add appropriate intercessions for the witness of all God’s people 
and the work of your worshiping community.]

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts. 

All: 

 

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE 

Leader: 

We pray for the specific needs of individuals we know and love… 

[Add appropriate intercessions.]

Holy God, 
hear the prayers of our hearts. 

All: 

You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
—Psalm 32:7 NRSVUE 

Leader: 

We pray all these things 
in the strong name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
Amen. 

God’s Word

Leader: 

In Psalm 32 it is written, 

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    else it will not stay near you.

Many are the torments of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.

All:  

 

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
—Psalm 32:8–11 NRSVUE

Leader: 

May the Spirit be present 
and work in our hearts and minds 
as we listen to the 
reading and preaching of God’s Word.

Revised Common Lectionary

Year A: Lent 1
Year C: Lent 4, Proper 6, Proper 26