Psalms 69:32

32 The poor in spirit see and are glad - Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!

Psalms 69:32 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 69:32

The humble shall see [this, and] be glad
The resurrection and exaltation of Christ, ( Psalms 69:29 ) ; the meek and humble followers of Christ, as his disciples were, saw him risen from the dead, saw him alive, to whom he showed himself forty days after his resurrection; they saw his hands, and feet, and side, and the prints of the nails and spear in them; they saw him go up to heaven, to be set on high at the right hand of God; and humble believers now see him by faith, crowned with glory and honour; and as the disciples were glad, and rejoiced when they saw him again, and when he was parted from them, and went up to heaven, ( John 20:20 ) ( Luke 24:51-53 ) ; so true believers in Christ, who have a spiritual sight of a risen, ascended, and exalted Saviour, are glad, and rejoice in him with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, ( 1 Peter 1:8 ) ; they rejoice in the righteousness he has brought in, in the atonement that he has made, and in the salvation he has wrought out, which is so suitable for them; and because they do or will share in all the blessings of his resurrection, ascension, and exaltation; such as regeneration, justification, every supply of grace, and perseverance in it, the resurrection of their bodies, and eternal glorification: and "humble" ones are such as are humbled under a sense of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it, in a view of their own righteousness, and its insufficiency to justify them before God: they ascribe all they have and are to the free grace of God; and all boasting is excluded from them, save in Christ; they are such that learn of him, who is meek and lowly; and behave humbly before men, esteem others better than themselves; and are in their own account the chief of sinners, and the least of saints: and as they are, for the most part, "afflicted", and so some render the word F16 here; they are humble under the mighty hand of God, and patiently bear it;

and your heart shall live that seek God;
that seek his face and favour, his gracious presence, and communion with him; that seek, by prayer and supplications, blessings from him; that seek him in Christ, where he is to be found; that seek Christ, and righteousness and salvation by him, and that early, earnestly, and diligently; that seek the things of Christ, the honour of his name, and the good of his interest; and who, in a word, are the true and spiritual worshippers of God; these seek him, and he seeks them. The Targum is,

``that seek doctrine from before God;''

and the hearts of those revived, who were as dead men before, as were the two disciples travelling to Emmaus, when they found that Christ was risen, ( Luke 24:17-35 ) ; just as the spirit of old Jacob revived, when he understood that his son Joseph was alive, ( Genesis 45:27 ) ; see ( Psalms 22:26 ) ( John 16:22 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (Mywne) "afflicti", Vatablus, Musculus; "miseri", Gejerus; "mansueti ac miseri", Michaelis.

Psalms 69:32 In-Context

30 Let me shout God's name with a praising song, Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
31 For God, this is better than oxen on the altar, Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
32 The poor in spirit see and are glad - Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!
33 For God listens to the poor, He doesn't walk out on the wretched.
34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth; Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.