Psalms 32
The Joy of Forgiveness 1–2
The Agony and Relief of Confession 3–5
Refuge and Deliverance in God 6–7
Instruction, Wisdom, and Rejoicing 8–11
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Psalm 32
Verse 1
whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered — Maschil is from sakal, to give insight, the verb of ‘I will instruct thee’ in v.8. Three words for wrong are used, pesha (rebellion), chata’ah (sin) and, in v.2, avon (iniquity), with three for its removal: lifted (nasa), covered (kasah) and not counted. Paul quotes vv.1–2 in Rom 4:7–8.
Verse 2
imputeth not iniquity — Chashav, to reckon or count to an account, the verb Paul takes up: ‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin’ (Rom 4:8), as David describes ‘the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works’ (Rom 4:6). ‘No guile’ (remiyyah) is the mark Christ names in Nathanael (John 1:47).
Verse 3
my bones waxed old — Balah is to wear out, as a garment does. The silence is the unconfessed sin of v.5, and the ‘roaring’ (she’agah, a groaning cry, the word of Ps 22:1) went on ‘all the day long’. v.4 gives the cause: ‘day and night thy hand was heavy upon me’.
Verse 5
mine iniquity have I not hid — ‘Hid’ is kasah, the verb of ‘covered’ in v.1: the sin God covers is the one the sinner stops covering. ‘Acknowledged’ (yada) is to make known, and ‘confess’ (yadah) is to give open acknowledgement. This is David’s answer to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD’ (2 Sam 12:13).
Verse 6
a time when thou mayest be found — Chasid, ‘godly’, is from chesed, kindness or covenant love. The call matches Isa 55:6, ‘Seek ye the LORD while he may be found’. The ‘floods of great waters’ (shetef, an overflowing) are those of which he promises, ‘through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee’ (Isa 43:2).
Verse 8
I will instruct thee — The verb is sakal, the root of ‘Maschil’ in the title. The words are read as the LORD’s answer to the prayer of v.7, though some hear David teaching others. ‘Guide’ is ya’ats, to counsel, and ‘with mine eye’ means his eye is set on the one he counsels, as ‘the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him’ (Ps 33:18).
Verse 9
the horse, or as the mule — Neither animal has understanding (bin), so the ‘bit’ (metheg) and ‘bridle’ (resen) must govern the mouth by force, as in Prov 26:3: ‘A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass’. The contrast is with the instruction of v.8, given to one who is taught and understands.
Verse 10
mercy shall compass him about — Chesed, covenant love, is the thing that surrounds the one who trusts (batach). The verb ‘compass’ (savav) is the one used in v.7, ‘thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance’. The wicked meet ‘many sorrows’ (makob, pains).
Verse 11
ye righteous… upright in heart — The ones summoned to be glad are the ones the psalm has described: forgiven, not counted guilty, and ‘in whose spirit there is no guile’ (vv.1–2). ‘Shout for joy’ is ranan, a ringing cry. Ps 64:10 closes with ‘all the upright in heart’.