TRV
Translation
King James Version
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Complete Jewish Bible
When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, "I will confess my offenses to ADONAI"; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
Berean Standard Bible
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
American Standard Version
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. [Selah
World English Bible Messianic
I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee, neither hid I mine iniquitie: for I thought, I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne. Selah.
Young's Literal Translation
My sin I cause Thee to know, And mine iniquity I have not covered. I have said, `I confess concerning My transgressions to Jehovah,' And Thou--Thou hast taken away, The iniquity of my sin. Selah.
In the KJVVerse 14,361 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 32 verses 1–6
1 ¶ A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 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.
This psalm is entitled Maschil, which some take to be only the name of the tune to which it was set and was to be sung. But others think it is significant; our margin reads it, A psalm of David giving instruction, and there is nothing in which we have more need of instruction than in the nature of true blessedness, wherein it consists and the way that leads to it - what we must do that we may be happy. There are several things in which these verses instruct us. In general, we are here taught that our happiness consists in the favour of God, and not in the wealth of this world - in spiritual blessings, and not the good things of this world. When David says (Psa 1:1), Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, and (Psa 119:1), Blessed are the undefiled in the way, the meaning is, "This is the character of the blessed man; and he that has not this character cannot expect to be happy:" but when it is here said, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, the meaning is, "This is the ground of his blessedness: this is that fundamental privilege from which all the other ingredients of his blessedness flow." In particular, we are here instructed,
I. Concerning the nature of the pardon of sin. This is that which we all need and are undone without; we are therefore concerned to be very solicitous and inquisitive about it. 1. It is the forgiving of transgression. Sin is the transgression of the law. Upon our repentance, the transgression is forgiven; that is, the obligation to punishment which we lay under, by virtue of the sentence of the law, is vacated and cancelled; it is lifted off (so some read it), that by the pardon of it we may be eased of a burden, a heavy burden, like a load on the back, that makes us stoop, or a load on the stomach, that makes us sick, or a load on the spirits, that makes us sink. The remission of sins gives rest and relief to those that were weary and heavily laden, Mat 11:28. 2. It is the covering of sin, as nakedness is covered, that it may not appear to our shame, Rev 3:18. One of the first symptoms of guilt in our first parents was blushing at their own nakedness. Sin makes us loathsome in the sight of God and utterly unfit for communion with him, and, when conscience is awakened, it makes us loathsome to ourselves too; but, when sin is pardoned, it is covered with the robe of Christ's righteousness, like the coats of skins wherewith God clothed Adam and Eve (an emblem of the remission of sins), so that God is no longer displeased with us, but perfectly reconciled. They are not covered from us (no; My sin is ever before me) nor covered from God's omniscience, but from his vindictive justice. When he pardons sin he remembers it no more, he casts it behind his back, it shall be sought for and not found, and the sinner, being thus reconciled to God, begins to be reconciled to himself. 3. It is the not imputing of iniquity, not laying it to the sinner's charge, not proceeding against him for it according to the strictness of the law, not dealing with him as he deserves. The righteousness of Christ being imputed to us, and we being made the righteousness of God in him, our iniquity is not imputed, God having laid upon him the iniquity of us all and made him sin for us. Observe, Not to impute iniquity is God's act, for he is the Judge. It is God that justifies.
II. Concerning the character of those whose sins are pardoned: in whose spirit there is no guile. He does not say, "There is no guilt" (for who is there that lives and sins not?), but no guile; the pardoned sinner is one that does not dissemble with God in his professions of repentance and faith, nor in his prayers for peace or pardon, but in all these is sincere and means as he says - that does not repent with a purpose to sin again, and then sin with a purpose to repent again, as a learned interpreter glosses upon it. Those that design honestly, that are really what they profess to be, are Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile.
III. Concerning the happiness of a justified state: Blessednesses are to the man whose iniquity is forgiven, all manner of blessings, sufficient to make him completely blessed. That is taken away which incurred the curse and obstructed the blessing; and then God will pour out blessings till there be no room to receive them. The forgiveness of sin is that article of the covenant which is the reason and ground of all the rest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, Heb 8:12.
IV. Concerning the uncomfortable condition of an unhumbled sinner, that sees his guilt, but is not yet brought to make a penitent confession of it. This David describes very pathetically, from his own sad experience (Psa 32:3, Psa 32:4): While I kept silence my bones waxed old. Those may be said to keep silence who stifle their convictions, who, when they cannot but see the evil of sin and their danger by reason of it, ease themselves by not thinking of it and diverting their minds to something else, as Cain to the building of a city, - who cry not when God binds them, - who will not unburden their consciences by a penitent confession, nor seek for peace, as they ought, by faithful and fervent prayer, - and who choose rather to pine away in their iniquities than to take the method which God has appointed of finding rest for their souls. Let such expect that their smothered convictions will be a fire in their bones, and the wounds of sin, not opened, will fester, and grow intolerably painful. If conscience be seared, the case is so much the more dangerous; but if it be startled and awake, it will be heard. The hand of divine wrath will be felt lying heavily upon the soul, and the anguish of the spirit will affect the body; to the degree David experienced it, so that when he was young his bones waxed old; and even his silence made him roar all the day long, as if he had been under some grievous pain and distemper of body, when really the cause of all his uneasiness was the struggle he felt in his own bosom between his convictions and his corruptions. Note, He that covers his sin shall not prosper; some inward trouble is required in repentance, but there is much worse in impenitency.
V. Concerning the true and only way to peace of conscience. We are here taught to confess our sins, that they may be forgiven, to declare them, that we may be justified. This course David took: I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and no longer hid my iniquity, Psa 32:5. Note, Those that would have the comfort of the pardon of their sins must take shame to themselves by a penitent confession of them. We must confess the fact of sin, and be particular in it (Thus and thus have I done), confess the fault of sin, aggravate it, and lay a load upon ourselves for it (I have done very wickedly), confess the justice of the punishment we have been under for it (The Lord is just in all that is brought upon us), and that we deserve much worse - I am no more worthy to be called thy son. We must confess sin with shame and holy blushing, with fear and holy trembling.
VI. Concerning God's readiness to pardon sin to those who truly repent of it: "I said, I will confess (I sincerely resolved upon it, hesitated no longer, but came to a point, that I would make a free and ingenuous confession of my sins) and immediately thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, and gavest me the comfort of the pardon in my own conscience; immediately I found rest to my soul." Note, God is more ready to pardon sin, upon our repentance, than we are to repent in order to the obtaining of pardon. It was with much ado that David was here brought to confess his sins; he was put to the rack before he was brought to do it (Psa 32:3, Psa 32:4), he held out long, and would not surrender till it came to the last extremity; but, when he did offer to surrender, see how quickly, how easily, he obtained good terms: "I did but say, I will confess, and thou forgavest." Thus the father of the prodigal saw his returning son when he was yet afar off, and ran to meet him with the kiss that sealed his pardon. What an encouragement is this to poor penitents, and what an assurance does it give us that, if we confess our sins, we shall find God, not only faithful and just, but gracious and kind, to forgive us our sins!
VII. Concerning the good use that we are to make of the experience David had had of God's readiness to forgive his sins (Psa 32:6): For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. Note, 1. All godly people are praying people. As soon as ever Paul was converted, Behold, he prays, Act 9:11. You may as soon find a living man without breath as a living Christian without prayer. 2. The instructions given us concerning the happiness of those whose sins are pardoned, and the easiness of obtaining the pardon, should engage and encourage us to pray, and particularly to pray, God be merciful to us sinners. For this shall every one that is well inclined be earnest with God in prayer, and come boldly to the throne of grace, with hopes to obtain mercy, Heb 4:16. 3. Those that would speed in prayer must seek the Lord in a time when he will be found. When, by his providence, he calls them to seek him, and by his Spirit stirs them up to seek him, they must go speedily to seek the Lord (Zac 8:21) and lose no time, lest death cut them off, and then it will be too late to seek him, Isa 55:6. Behold, now is the accepted time, Co2 6:2, Co2 6:4. Those that are sincere and abundant in prayer will find the benefit of it when they are in trouble: Surely in the floods of great waters, which are very threatening, they shall not come nigh them, to terrify them, or create them any uneasiness, much less shall they overwhelm them. Those that have God nigh unto them in all that which they call upon him for, as all upright, penitent, praying people have, are so guarded, so advanced, that no waters - no, not great waters - no, not floods of them, can come nigh them, to hurt them. As the temptations of the wicked one touch them not (Jo1 5:18), so neither do the troubles of this evil world; these fiery darts of both kinds, drop short of them.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 17:8
People had evil thoughts. They were revealed to bring them into the open and destroy them. Once they had been killed and are dead, they would cease to exist. He who died for us would kill them. For, as long as such thoughts were hidden and not brought out into the open, it was quite impossible to kill them. Thus, if we ourselves have sinned, we ought to say, “I made my sin known to you, and I have not hidden my iniquity. I said, “Against myself shall I proclaim my injustice to the Lord.’ ”
Diodorus of TarsusAD 390
COMMENTARY ON PSALM 32
Just as I sinned and was punished, so I acknowledged it and was saved.… He wishes to bring out also the promptness of God’s lovingkindness, saying, I shall confess, that is, I resolved to confess the fault to the Lord, and your pardon anticipated my confession.
Evagrius PonticusAD 399
NOTES ON THE PSALMS 31[32]: 5, 6
A righteous person accuses himself at the beginning of his speech.
Evagrius PonticusAD 399
CHAPTERS ON PRAYER 5
Pray first to receive tears, so that through compunction you may be able to mollify the wildness that is in your soul, and, having confessed against yourself your transgression to the Lord, you may obtain forgiveness from him.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 32
"I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that is, my unrighteousness have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" [Psalm 32:5]; hearing the word of confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 32:3
When David said, “I have sinned against the Lord,” Nathan replied, “The Lord has put away your sin, you will not die.” He did, however, threaten to fill his house with calamities of all kinds; here too likewise, “You put away the impiety of my sin”: immediately after perpetrating such things, he is saying, I should have been consigned to death according to the law, but you applied your lovingkindness and did not so consign me, keeping my treatment to moderate censure.
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 59:1
Just as we can never be without the wounds of sins, so we should never lack the remedy of confession. God wants us to confess our sins, not because he himself cannot know them but because the devil longs to find something to charge us with before the tribunal of the eternal Judge and wants us to defend rather than to acknowledge our sins. Our God, on the contrary, because he is good and merciful, wants us to confess them in this world so we will not be confounded by them later on in the world to come. If we confess our sins, he spares us; if we acknowledge them, he forgives.
CassiodorusAD 585
EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 32:5
He suddenly absolved his sins, for he judges the devoted prayer as if the work were already carried out. The penitent resolved in his heart that what he had done not be kept silent from the Lord. And then as if he had already made all of his sins known, he received forgiveness for everything that he wanted to confess. And rightly so, for the will alone either brings someone absolution or punishment. “I will pronounce,” means, “I will confess publicly” in order that my pious and faithful confession may draw others to imitate this action. From this self-accusation follows the saving remedy, since the Judge spares the defendant when he does not spare himself.
CassiodorusAD 585
EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 32:5
Fools … think that God is unable to know what they are doing. In contrast, those who know that all things are known to him get down on their knees for humble confession and vows of repentance so that they may not experience a hostile Judge when they are able to have a merciful Advocate.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 32:5 stands as a profound testament to the liberating power of honest confession and the boundless nature of divine forgiveness. King David, having endured the debilitating spiritual and physical toll of unacknowledged guilt, vividly describes his deliberate choice to lay bare his transgressions before God. This pivotal verse marks a dramatic shift in the psalm, moving from the anguish of concealed sin to the joyous relief and blessed state of immediate and complete pardon from the Almighty, offering a timeless and accessible pathway to restoration for all who genuinely repent.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 32:5 is a masterpiece of literary craftsmanship, employing several devices to convey its transformative message. Contrast is central to the verse's impact, starkly juxtaposing the agonizing state of hidden sin (implied from the preceding verses) with the immediate relief and profound forgiveness that follows open confession. The psalmist's journey from "not hid" to "thou forgavest" creates a clear, powerful before-and-after narrative of spiritual transformation. Parallelism is evident in the structure of the first two clauses ("I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid"), where the second line reinforces and expands upon the first, emphasizing the totality and sincerity of David's transparency. The deliberate use of three distinct, escalating terms for sin—chatta'ah (sin, missing the mark), 'avon (iniquity, perversity), and pesha' (transgressions, rebellion)—creates a powerful climax or gradation. This linguistic progression indicates a comprehensive and deepening understanding of the nature and severity of his wrongdoing, from a general failure to outright defiance. Finally, the inclusion of Selah acts as a potent rhetorical marker, prompting the reader to pause, reflect, and internalize the profound theological truth of divine forgiveness, thereby amplifying its emotional, spiritual, and meditative impact.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 32:5 stands as a cornerstone for understanding the biblical doctrine of repentance and the character of God's forgiveness. It reveals God's nature as both perfectly righteous in His demand for accountability for sin and infinitely merciful in His readiness to extend pardon to the penitent. The immediate nature of God's forgiveness, powerfully conveyed by "and thou forgavest," underscores His eagerness to restore fellowship with His creation, demonstrating that His grace is not reluctantly given but freely poured out upon genuine confession. This verse teaches that true spiritual healing, peace, and blessedness are found not in self-justification, concealment, or denial, but in humble admission of guilt and complete reliance on God's unfailing compassion. It profoundly prefigures the New Covenant truth that God desires reconciliation more than condemnation, offering a clear and accessible pathway for all humanity to be reconciled to Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 32:5 offers timeless and profoundly practical guidance for believers across all generations, serving as a powerful reminder that the path to spiritual freedom, inner peace, and renewed intimacy with God lies in honest, unreserved confession. In a world that often encourages hiding flaws, minimizing wrongdoing, or projecting an image of perfection, David's courageous example calls us to radical transparency before our Creator. The burden of unconfessed sin is not merely a psychological weight; it is a spiritual impediment that hinders our relationship with God, diminishes our joy, and can even manifest in physical and emotional distress, as David himself experienced. This verse assures us that while God is omniscient and already knows our hearts, our confession is a vital, transformative act of humility, trust, and surrender. It is an acknowledgment of His sovereignty, His holiness, and our absolute dependence on His grace. When we confess, we are not informing God of something He doesn't know, but rather aligning our hearts with His truth, dismantling the walls of pride and self-deception, and opening ourselves fully to the cleansing power of His forgiveness. This act transforms a burdened, guilt-ridden spirit into one of profound joy, genuine praise, and renewed, intimate communion with the Father.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Selah" mean at the end of the verse?
Answer: "Selah" (H5542) is a Hebrew word found frequently in the Psalms and the book of Habakkuk. While its exact meaning and purpose are debated among scholars, it is most commonly understood to be a musical or liturgical instruction, signifying a "pause," "lift up," or a call "to reflect." In the context of Psalms 32:5, "Selah" serves as a powerful and intentional invitation for the reader or worshiper to pause, meditate deeply, and internalize the profound spiritual truth that has just been declared: the immediate and complete forgiveness of God upon genuine confession. It encourages a moment of quiet contemplation to allow the immense weight, wonder, and liberating power of this spiritual reality to sink into the heart and mind.
Why do I need to confess my sins if God already knows them?
Answer: While it is profoundly true that God is omniscient and already knows every sin we have committed, confession is not for His information but for our transformation, reconciliation, and restoration. Confession is a vital act of humility, acknowledging God's absolute holiness and our own inherent sinfulness. It is an act of genuine repentance, signifying a turning away from our wrongdoing and a turning back to Him. It demonstrates our trust in His mercy, grace, and faithfulness. As 1 John 1:9 beautifully states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This verse highlights that confession is the divinely appointed pathway for us to receive forgiveness, be cleansed from the defilement of sin, and restore our broken fellowship with God, moving from a state of guilt and separation to one of profound peace and communion.
Does this verse mean all sins are automatically forgiven once confessed?
Answer: Psalms 32:5 strongly suggests an immediate and complete forgiveness ("thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin") upon genuine confession. The consistent biblical pattern indeed shows God's readiness and eagerness to forgive those who truly repent. However, "confession" in Scripture implies more than just a mere verbal admission; it inherently involves a turning of the heart (repentance) and a willingness to forsake the sin. This verse, like others such as Proverbs 28:13 ("He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy"), links confession with the abandonment of sin and a change of direction. God's forgiveness is freely and fully offered to all who approach Him with a contrite heart and genuine repentance, made possible through the ultimate and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 32:5, with its profound declaration of forgiveness received through humble confession, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. David's deeply personal experience, while a powerful testament to God's grace, was a shadow and a foretaste of the perfect and complete atonement that would be accomplished through the Messiah. The "sin," "iniquity," and "transgressions" that David confessed, representing the full spectrum of human sinfulness and rebellion (Romans 3:23), were fully and completely borne by Christ on the cross. He is the ultimate "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), shedding His innocent blood as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, without which "there is no remission" of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Through Christ, the promise of forgiveness is not merely a divine act of overlooking or a temporary covering; it is a righteous declaration based on propitiation—God's holy wrath against sin being fully satisfied and appeased in His Son (Romans 3:25-26). Thus, when we confess our sins to the Lord today, we do so not under the Old Covenant system of sacrifices, but in reliance upon the finished work of Jesus, who "his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24), enabling God to be both perfectly just and the merciful justifier of those who believe in Him. Our forgiveness is not just an act of divine mercy, but an act of profound divine justice accomplished through Christ, making us "alive together with him, having forgiven us all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13).