Psalm 32/Commentary

Psalm 32

“The Joy Of Forgiveness” “To be in close accord with God is true happiness: this is the constant theme of the psalm, expressed now positively, in the opening and the close, and now negatively, in the memory of lost fellowship, in the gentle mockery of the stubborn (who should take a look a the trappings of a mule), and in the reminder of the perils (6) and pangs (10) which are the lot of those who choose to walk alone” (Kidner p. 133).

This Psalm appears to have arisen out of the contrast of the terrible burden of guilt David felt as a result of his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the eventual murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11). It is one of seven penitential psalms (6,32,38,51,102,130,143), and served as a part of the service of the synagogue on the great day of Atonement. This Psalm may actually be the fulfillment of the promise which David made in Psalm 51:13: “Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee”. This Psalm certainly does stress the point that the life apart from God’s forgiveness is miserable. But how often is a sinful lifestyle promoted as being a life of “freedom”. “David having experienced divine chastening and forgiveness… encouraged others to seek the Lord who deals graciously with sinners. If they refuse submission they will endure chastening” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p.

818).

I like the following outline of this Psalm: I. Forgiven Sinners Know Peace, Joy and Happiness of Forgiveness: 1-2 II. Forgiven Sinners Remember The Terrible Past Burden of Unconfessed and Unforgiven Sin: 3-5 III. Forgiven Sinners, In Their Gratitude To God, Instruct Others Out Of Personal Experience: 6-9 IV. Forgiven Sinners, In Their Knowledge of the Contrast Between Wickedness and Righteousness, Express Thankful Joy: 10-11

Sin Forgiven 32:1 “’Happy (how blessed), a more exuberant word than blessed” (Kidner p.

133). The sins “covered” are sins which are “forgiven”. This keeps us from erroneously thinking that “covered” means hiding what is still present and unresolved. Gaebelein notes: that “transgression” is an act of rebellion and 1

disloyalty. The word “sin” is an act that misses—often intentionally—God’s expressed and revealed will. The word “iniquity” (32:2), is a crooked or wrong act, often associated with a conscious and intentional intent to do wrong. “The psalmist declares that the forgiveness of sin, of whatever kind—whether against God or man, whether great or small (?), whether conscientious or inadvertent, or whether by omission or commission is to be found in God” (p. 271).

Point To Note: “You do not understand the gravity of the most trivial wrong act when you think of it as a sin against the order of Nature, or against the law written on your heart, or as the breach of the constitution of your own nature, or as a crime against your fellows. You have not gotten to the bottom of the blackness until you see that it is a flat rebellion against God Himself” (Boice p. 278). (Psalm 51:4) 32:1 The word “forgiven” means to “carry away”, signifying the removal of sin.

“It literally means to have our sin ‘lifted off’. Before sin is confessed we bear it like some great burden” (Boice p. 278). The word “covered” infers that the sin has now in the past, and that the Lord does not bring it up anymore as a ground for His displeasure. Our sins need to be covered in God’s way, not man’s way.

“Since Adam, men have tried to hide or conceal their sins from God. Denying, forgetting, concealing, or running from sin will not cover sin” (Southwest Lectures p. 184).

32:2 The word “impute” is a bookkeeping term. The verb means to “consider, count, or reckon”. The idea here seems to be that of putting something down on one’s personal account. When righteousness is put down on the sinner’s account instead of his past sins, it is due to the fact that the sinner has been forgiven by God. This passage is quoted in Romans 4:6-8.

Points To Note: 1. When comparing Romans 4:6-8 with Psalm 32, we find that while we cannot earn salvation (“works”), forgiveness does have conditions. For example, in Psalm 32, David had to acknowledge that he was a sinner (32:5). And neither could he keep on defying God and expect forgiveness (32:2 “in whose spirit there is no deceit”), he had to be truly sincere and repentant. 2.

At what point does God “reckon righteousness” (Romans 4:6) for those living under the New Covenant? Well, Paul equates “righteousness” with “having been forgiven”, that is, the righteous man is the forgiven man. Jesus and the apostles made it clear that forgiveness is obtained by believing in Jesus, repenting of our sins, confessing faith in Christ and being baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38). Hence, God considers us righteous after we have been baptized for the remission of our sins. Therefore, it is obvious that baptism is not a work of human merit.

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32:2 “in whose spirit there is no deceit!”: “Any idea, however, that we are free to ‘continue in sin that grace may abound’ is firmly excluded by the emphasis on sincerity at the close of our verse” (Kidner p. 133). Note the blessedness of forgiveness is conditioned upon integrity. God knows the heart of a man (Hebrews 4:12-13). And He knows if our request for pardon is sincere and expressive of true repentance and sorrow for sin, or whether we simply regret the consequences of our actions. Here is a warning against those who might take God’s forgiveness lightly, or people who have the attitude, “Oh well, I can always repent and it is God’s job to forgive me”. This verse should also caution anyone from trying to calculate how they can sin and yet keep the fruits of their transgression.

What Sinners Really Experience 32:3 David had kept silent about his sin for about a year (2 Samuel 11-12).

During this time when he was attempting to cover up what he had done, this is what was going on in his life. Those who saw David during this year might not have suspected anything, the sinner often puts up a good front and a good act.

But beneath the surface, these verses reveal the true story. “Even human estrangements can produce this deep unrest of mind and body—and still be doggedly kept up. If David’s symptoms are exceptional, his stubbornness is common enough” (Kidner p. 133).

32:3 “my body wasted away”: Apparently, David experienced a lack of motivation and energy. He felt like an old man, even his physical strength was sapped (32:4). Carefully consider these verses, for they reveal that an upset mind/soul will led to an upset body. “It seemed as though a withering away of his strength took place, that penetrated into the core of his being” (Leupold p.

267). But our society feels that it can ignore the needs of the soul without suffering any negative side effects in the body.

32:3-4 “my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me;”: What a description of a guilty conscience. Note the internal tensions and conflict that are created when we sin and refuse to repent! In order to do what David did in 2 Samuel 11, David had to harden himself, and yet, David can’t sear his conscience. Next time someone is tempting you to do something wrong, remember, you have to live with yourself—they don’t. This verse really reminds us of what I have heard unfaithful Christians express. I have heard out-of-duty members relate to me the nightmares they have had about Jesus coming again. I really believe that many people in our society are undergoing the turmoil which David is describing. Even many hardened sinners know that their deeds are eventually going to catch up to them. Unfortunately, many people try to quiet the voice of conscience by filling their time with superficial activities. “Besides, his wretchedness weighed so heavily upon him

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that he could not but give expression to it in frequent groans, whether they were audible to others or repressed within his own heart” (Leupold p. 267).

32:4 “My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer”: Ever wonder why people who aren’t right with God fall into depression? “How different is his condition from the description of the wise man, likened to a verdant tree (1:3)!” (Gaebelein p. 273). “The picture here is of the summer heat. When the rains are over, the landscape of Israel becomes parched and dry. This is David; he is limp with exhaustion….Unrepentance and unforgiveness bring depression, emotional pain, alienation from God, and physical weakness. It is worth noting that untold millions live in this condition; they even accept it as normal or inevitable” (Williams p. 241).

Point To Note: Our society talks so much about “inner healing”, which often means finding someone to blame for our problems. But here is true inner healing, that everyone really needs, that is, the healing that comes when we confess our sins!

Repentance Equals Freedom 32:5 When David confessed, he didn’t hold anything back and neither did he try to justify or downplay the seriousness of his evil behavior (Psalm 51:1ff).

Compare with 1 John 1:9. Notice the personal choice and motivation that is needed. “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’”. Much like the language used by the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:18). The sinner must decide that they want to be forgiven, the sinner must become so frustrated with himself and so tired of living with a guilty conscience that he or she is determined to come to God, regardless of the cost.

32:5 What a wonderful picture of God! Why are people miserable? Because God is cruel? Or, are people miserable and suffering because they are refusing to allow God to be the Lord of their life? Here is God, standing and waiting for people to come to Him, He wants to bless them, He wants to forgive them (2 Peter 3:9). But this Psalm also reveals how stubborn man, even a man who was formerly faithful, can be. Look how much people are willing to endure—rather than confess their sins. Look at the price that people are willing to pay to have some feeling of being independent of God! Is it worth it? And look at the real price which is attached to sin. David’s affair lasted one night, but look at the heartache it produced. Whatever pleasure a temptation offers, it isn’t worth the grief that such a sin will bring into your life! Look at the whole year of happiness, contentment, and joy that David had lost because of his sins.

Listen Up!

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32:6 David is the voice of personal experience. The person who truly appreciates their forgiveness is adamant about persuading others to forsake and confess their sins immediately! David is saying, “Don’t repeat the mistake I made!” He addresses the “godly” not to delay when they have been overtaken by sin but to speedily repent and pray for forgiveness.

32:6 “pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found”: Compare with Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 and Hebrews 3:7. That is, pray when the opportunity for forgiveness still remains, for the day of grace and mercy won’t last forever (2 Peter 3:10). In addition, one can also harden themselves and reach a point where they might not want to repent (Ephesians 4:19; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 10:26).

32:6-7 “Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him”: This verse seems connected with 32:7. Boice notes, “In verses 3 and 4 David was seen hiding from God, but in verse 7 he is hiding in God and is secure…He who thus seeks Jehovah when He may be found shall not be swept away when His judgments are let loose like a flood a waters upon the earth” (p. 282).

32:7 “Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance”: Notice the tremendous contrast in this chapter of hiding from God, and thus being under God’s condemnation, at then being able to hide in God. God is so willing to bless the sinner, if the sinner will simply acknowledge his or her sins! “Their joy in deliverance expresses itself in joyful shouts as a tribute to God’s fidelity” (Gaebelein p. 274). When we sing, are we mindful of our deliverance, do we sing with thankfulness in our hearts? (Colossians 3:16).

The Lesson To Be Learned 32:8 While David is speaking to us, we could also take these verses as God speaking to David and us as well. He is continuing to teach transgressors the way of God (Psalm 51:13). There is the call here for a teachable and humble spirit.

32:8 “With My eye upon you”: This expression seems to point to God’s vigilant and intimate care (Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 139). It surely suggests that God is never out of touch with our lives or what we are experiencing. As great as forgiveness is, the one who has sinned and been forgiven does not want to repeat the sin or again fall into error but rather wants to go on walking in the right way and so please God. Here is the promise of guidance. The sinner doesn’t have to repeat his folly (2 Peter 2:20-22; Psalm 19)!

32:9 We have a choice. We can be humble and repentant or we can become stubborn and defiant, just like the horse or the mule! “We are to be responsive

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to God, obedient to His word, and anxious to walk in His ways” (Williams p. 244).

“This vivid picture brings, by its contrasts, the emphasis in verse 8 on intelligent co-operation, which God has set His heart on eliciting from us…for whatever else one can do with a horse one can hardly counsel it, or control it without bringing pressure on it” (Kidner p. 135). See also Jeremiah 8:6.

Point To Note: Do I have to be continually pushed to meet with Christians, study my bible, pray, etc…? Are we like those in Hebrews 5:11-12, people who are sluggish, who need to be continually prodded to serve God? Or do we hunger and thirst after God and His will? (Psalm 42:1; Matthew 5:6).

The Only Happiness 32:10-11 There is a big difference between the lot of the wicked and the lot of the righteous. “The way of the transgressor is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). Many sorrows, painful burdens and difficulties go with the momentary pleasures of sin.

Please remember, David is speaking from experience! He had learned the hard way. What did David gain by departing from God, and by doing things his way?

Sorrow! He exhorts all believers to rejoice and appreciate their relationship with God. The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence (in fact, there isn’t any grass), and believers are not in the least sense missing out or deprived!

Once again note that God’s blessings are conditional. One must trust in the Lord, be righteous, and be upright in heart, which parallels verse 2, people in whose spirit there is no deceit.

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