INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 32
Psalm 32 could qualify as both a Wisdom Psalm and a Song of Thanksgiving but for at least 1500 years Christian liturgical tradition has viewed it as a Penitential Psalm; the second of seven in the Psalter (see also 6, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). Its theme is the relief that comes from repentance, confession of sin to God, forgiveness and restoration. It seems to have been written soon after the psalmist recovered from a debilitating illness brought on by failure to acknowledge his sin.
THE TITLE OF PSALM 32
A Psalm of David, Maschil.
The meaning of Maschil is unknown but the word is thought to be a musical term. Some commentators, noting that it has the same root as the verb to teach (v.8), take the word to mean a didactic or contemplative poem. Thirteen psalms have Maschil in their title (see also 42, 44, 45, 52, 53, 54, 55, 74, 78, 88, 89, 142).
Since the title links Psalm 32 with David many scholars connect it with Psalm 51. They therefore speculate that the background to Psalm 32 is the tragic story of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the arranged ‘murder’ of her husband Uriah the Hittite and those who perished with him (2 Samuel chapters 11-12). The prophet Nathan confronted David using the parable of the little ewe-lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-4) after which, it is thought, David composed Psalm 51 in which he acknowledges his sin and requests forgiveness. As David himself discovered sin is destructive; ruining one’s joy, peace, love and fellowship with the Lord. In Psalm 32 he recites the misery of his own experience of living with sin unconfessed as well as the spiritual and emotional relief obtained when he eventually confessed and received God’s forgiveness.
THE STRUCTURE OF PSALM 32
1-2 – REMISSION
3-4 – CONVICTION
5 – CONFESSION
6-7 – PRESERVATION
8-9 – INSTRUCTION
10-11 – CONCLUSION
EXPLANATION OF PSALM 32
(1-2) REMISSION
1 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.
Verses 1 and 2 are proverbial sayings in the form of beatitudes which declare that the forgiveness of sin brings great joy. How happy (or fortunate) is the one whose rebellion is taken away. . . etc! The verses contain six metaphorical words or expressions that relate to various aspects of sin in the Old Testament.
TRANSGRESSION – revolt, open rebellion, deliberately doing what is forbidden.
SIN – miss the mark, err, fail to measure up to God’s standard.
INIQUITY – wrongdoing – idea of something twisted or distorted.
FORGIVEN – lifted away
COVERED – concealed, put out of sight, not exposed, treated as no longer causing guilt.
(NOT) IMPUTED – (not) reckoned, credited, computed – there is no record of it.
TRANSGRESSION, SIN and INIQUITY occur together in Leviticus 16:21 and occur throughout Psalm 25 (vv. 7, 8, 11, 18).
And in whose spirit there is no guile. Remission of sin requires true and honest confession. One cannot say one thing publicly and think something else inwardly – in order to receive forgiveness the sinner must be sincere.
In the New Testament vv.1-2 are quoted by the apostle Paul in Romans 4:7-8.
(3-4) CONVICTION
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.
The psalmist David now relates his own experience of the misery caused by refusing to face up to his sin. We do not know for how long David tried to hide his sin but it was long enough for a child to be conceived and born (2 Samuel 11:27). He did not get right with the Lord quickly.
‘When’ gives the reason for what follows. It was because David ‘kept silence’ (i.e. refused to confess his sin) that he felt the power of God’s chastening which he describes in vv. 3b-4. He uses an anthropomorphic image of God’s hand striking him with heavy blows. This image is also used in 1 Samuel 5:6, 11 and there is a similar one in Ezekiel 3:14. The chastening, probably in the form of a troubled conscience, affected him physically. It made him ill. He was in constant pain, howling all day long. He began to waste away (his bones ‘wore out’) and his vitality was drained. The word meaning vitality (KJV, ‘moisture) is used in Num 11:8 of olive oil or olive juice moistening a cake. His sin brought only despair and drought. Verse 4 ends with the first of three Selahs – stop and think!
(5) CONFESSION
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.
When David frankly confessed his sin to the Lord he was forgiven immediately. In this verse we have acknowledgement, accountability, assertion and assurance.
acknowledge – to make known. David’s sin was no longer hidden; he did not conceal his iniquity.
confess – tell the complete truth about, own up to, admit. He did not try to rationalise or minimise his behaviour.
as for you, you forgave the iniquity of my sin – David had assurance that upon his confession of sin to the Lord he was forgiven (2 Samuel 12:13). God removed the effects of his sin by lifting the iniquity (the guilt and/or punishment for it). It was to God, not a human mediator, that he directly confessed and it is emphatically stated that it was God (and thou, as for you) who forgave him. In the context of the psalm this forgiveness would have involved the removal of the illness (v.3) that had resulted from his failure to confess his wrongdoing. That confession of sins to God is the pathway to forgiveness is also stated in the New Testament: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
Selah – pause and ponder!
6-7 PRESERVATION
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.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
For – therefore. This refers back to all that has already been said in the psalm, i.e. about happiness, guilt, God’s discipline, confession and forgiveness. The psalmist invites the faithful to turn to God in prayer now, while he may be found (Isa 55:6; 2 Cor 6:2; Heb 3:12-15). They will not be able to do so when under God’s discipline. ‘Floods of mighty waters’ represents the danger and distress that are a result of God’s wrath (Job 20:28; Psa 8:15; Isa 8:7-8).
The faithful, because God punishes the wicked and rewards the good, will receive divine protection and care in times of trouble and trial. God is his shelter. The psalmist, who earlier howled in distress (v.3), is now surrounded by songs celebrating deliverance.
Selah – stop and think!
(8-9) INSTRUCTION
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Who is speaking here? Many take it that these words are spoken by the Lord to David. However, since David has been the speaker thus far I see nothing that would suggest a change and therefore consider that the speaker here is David, passing on advice to others. He is, in effect, saying: ‘Don’t conceal your sin as I did but rather confess it and receive forgiveness.’
Just as in Psalm 51:12-15, where David moves from thoughts of confession, forgiveness and the joy of restoration to the idea of teaching, he now draws upon his own experience of forgiveness and advises the devout person who has fallen into sin not to stubbornly continue but repent and live a life of submission to God.
instruct – give understanding. David wants to make others understand.
teach – show someone the way. David wants to teach others how to find and keep to the right way.
guide – counsel, give advice. David does not want to coerce but to gently (with my eye upon you) guide others how to live well.
Using two similes, as the horse and as the mule, he advises others to follow the Lord and not be stubborn. These are irrational animals that must be controlled and forced to go in the right direction. They can also be wilful and bad-tempered (lest they come near unto thee).
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back. Proverbs 26:3
An horse not broken becometh headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful. Sirach 30:8
(10-11) CONCLUSION
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Alluding to his own experience of concealing sin (vv.3-4) David utters a truism – a self-evident truth. Verse 10 gives the basis for his counsel in v.9. ‘Many sorrows (pain and suffering) shall be to the ungodly’ – in this context he probably means those who refuse or ignore his instruction (vv.8-9) but continue to pursue their wicked ways, resist the Lord and remain exposed to the consequences of their sin. The ‘many sorrows’ may be inflicted either as divine punishment or to compel the sinner to repent. David contrasts the ‘ungodly’ with the ‘trustful’ and ‘many sorrows’ with ‘mercy’ (loving-kindness, covenant love). Sin brings sorrows and robs the sinner of peace and joy.
The psalm ends as it began – with happiness – a call to the righteous to rejoice. David uses three expressions of joy: be glad – rejoice – sing joyfully, The righteous and upright in heart are those who confess their sin to the Lord, receive forgiveness and experience the true joy that comes from forgiveness. Scroggie (1948, p.188) comments: ‘The psalm ends with a summons to holy hilarity (11). Our joy should be demonstrative, without degenerating into boisterous fanaticism. The safeguard is “in the Lord.” Thought: The pardoned should praise.’
Note: Some suggest that verse 11 does not belong with Psalm 32 but ought to be the first verse of Psalm 33.
SUMMATION
Psalm 32 is a penitential psalm attributed to King David that explores the profound relief and joy found in forgiveness of sin. After declaring the blessedness of those whose transgressions are forgiven and sin covered the psalmist goes on to describe his own painful experience of trying to conceal his sin and withhold confession to the Lord. His physical strength dried up and he was in constant anguish. He also felt the spiritual weight of divine discipline. The turning point comes in v.5 when he finally acknowledges and confesses his sin to God, receiving immediate forgiveness and relief from his illness.
Drawing upon his own experience he issues practical advice to believers. He urges them not to remain stubborn but to respond and submit to God’s guidance. God will then be their shelter and protector in times of trouble and trial and will surround them with his loving-kindness and songs of deliverance. The psalm ends with a call to the righteous – those who have confessed their sin and received forgiveness – to rejoice.
Notice the triplets of words and expressions in Psalm 32.
vv. 1, 2, 5 Transgression(s), sin, iniquity.
vv.1, 2, 5 Forgiven, covered, [not] imputed.
v.8 Instruct, teach, guide.
v.11 Be glad, rejoice, sing joyfully.
The main point of the psalm is that true and lasting joy comes from forgiveness of sins and from a life lived in submission to the Lord. If, like David, we are hiding our sin and tormented by guilt we can come to God in prayer, confess our sins to him, receive forgiveness and leave rejoicing in salvation.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
Clarke, A. G. (1949). Analytical Studies in the Psalms. John Ritchie Ltd., Kilmarnock
Perowne, S. (1898). The Book of Psalms : a New Translation, with Introduction and Notes Explanatory and Critical. Andover, W. F. Draper.
Scroggie, W. G. (1948). The Psalms , Volume 1, Psalms I-L, Introduction and Notes by W. Graham Scroggie. Pickering & Inglis Ltd., London
