Psalm 32

The joy of being forgiven.

 


NOTE

This is one of the eight “penitential” Psalms:

  • Psalm 6. Having been reproved by the chastening rod, David petitions God for deliverance.
  • Psalm 51. Create in me a clean heart, O God.
  • Psalm 102. The LORD God will arise and have mercy.

 

THE JOY OF BEING FORGIVEN

By David.

 

VERSE 1. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Romans 4:7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

he whose disobedience is forgiven. David had experienced the forgiveness of the LORD.

This might possibly refer to David’s seduction of Bathsheba. He had refused to admit his wrongdoing for a year.

whose sin is covered. This is one of the eight “penitential” psalms.

 

VERSE 2. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Romans 4:7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

 

VERSE 3. When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

When I kept silence. David had refused to admit his wrongdoing for a year. While he was silent and did not confess his sin, he was weakened physically.

 

VERSE 4. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah.

My strength was sapped. This might refer to physical illness.

 

VERSE 5. 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.

I acknowledged my sin to you. After a year, and upon direct confrontation by the prophet Nathan, David finally admitted his wrongdoing. See 2 Samuel 12.

 

VERSE 6. For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.

 

VERSE 7. You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

my hiding place. The Hebrew word is “seiter.” It can also be translated as shelter and as refuge.

 

VERSE 8. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Psalms and from the entire Bible.

NIV translation: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

NLT translation: I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you

I will instruct you and teach you. God the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Teacher, the one who instructs and counsels us within the quiet of our hearts.

 

VERSE 9. Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you.

Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule. David speaks from experience. He had fought against admitting his wrongdoing.

 

VERSE 10. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the LORD.

loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in the LORD. Love surrounds those who trust in the Lord!

 

VERSE 11. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

 


next chapter »

« previous chapter


PSALMS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1617, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 3435, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 5253, 5455, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 7071, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 888990, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104105, 106, 107108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148149, 150

Deuterocanonical chapter: 151

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, MemorizeDavid’s Fasting

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.