Psalm 32:1-5

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

1 ¹How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!

2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD ²does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is ³no deceit!

3 When ⁴I kept silent about my sin, ⁵my body wasted away Through my ⁶groaning all day long.

4 For day and night ⁷Your hand was heavy upon me; My ⁸vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

5 I ⁹acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I ¹⁰did not hide; I said, "¹¹I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "; And You ¹²forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 32:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 32

\\<<[A Psalm], of David, Maschil>>\\. This is the first of the psalms that bears this title: some think it is the name of a musical instrument, on which this psalm was sung; others the first word of a song, to the tune of which it was sung, as Aben Ezra; some say it is so called, because it was explained by an interpreter, as Jarchi; and the Rabbins {k} say, that every psalm that is called "Maschil" was dictated by an interpreter: the Targum renders it "a good understanding"; and the word properly signifies "instruction", or "causing to understand" {l}; and it may be the apostle has some reference to this title in 1Co 14:15; It is an instructive psalm; a didascalic ode, as Junius renders it: it gives an account how the psalmist was instructed under a dispensation of Providence; and was brought to a sense of sin, and acknowledgment of it; and was favoured with a discovery of pardoning grace; and in it he takes upon him to instruct others, Ps 32:8,9, and does instruct in the doctrine of the pardon of sin by the grace of God. {k} Elias Levita in Tishbi, p. 271. {l} lykvm "erudiens", Musculus, Munster, Vatablus, Montanus; "informans", Gejerus; "an instructing psalm", Ainsworth.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 85:2; Psalms 103:3; Romans 4:7, 8
• 2. 2 Corinthians 5:19
• 3. John 1:47
• 4. Psalms 39:2, 3
• 5. Psalms 31:10
• 6. Psalms 38:8
• 7. 1 Samuel 5:6; Job 23:2; Job 33:7; Psalms 38:2; Psalms 39:10
• 8. Psalms 22:15
• 9. Leviticus 26:40
• 10. Job 31:33
• 11. Psalms 38:18; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9
• 12. Psalms 103:12

Footnotes

• [a] Or "bones, substance"
• [b] Lit "roaring"
• [c] Lit "life juices were turned into the drought of summer"
• [d] "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
• [e] Or "iniquity"