T3 C y 1,2-. The justified. David speaks.
z -2. The sanctified. "
D a 3,4. Trouble. "
b 5-7. Deliverance. "
E 8. Promise. God speaks.
E 9. Injunction. "
D a 10-. Trouble. David speaks.
b -10. Deliverance. "
C y 11-. The justified. "
c -11. The sanctified. "
941 B.C.
Psalm 32)
1 How happy is he (left to be supplied by any one who has this experience) whose breaking away (or rebellion) is taken up and carried away, whose erring (or transgression) is atoned (by the death and merit of a substituted sacrifice).
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
2 Happy how is the man to whom the LORD imputes not (forensic or legal righteousness. The N.T. righteousness is not negative, but positive for the righteousness of One [Christ] is imputed or accounted to another, as it was to Abraham [Gen. 15:6. Rom. 4:13) iniquity (= sin in the nature, rather than branches of the law in act = perverseness [never eradicated]),
3 When I kept silence (from confession. Probably during the year referred to in 2 Sam. 12:1-5), my bones waxed old
Through my irrepressible anguish (not yet articulate confession) all the day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me:
My moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah. (Connecting the trouble of conviction with the confession to which it led.)
5 I [made up my mind that I would] acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity did I not hide.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions (refers to 2 Sam. 13) to the LORD;"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Divine forgiveness follows immediately on true confession to Him. Cp. Gen. 44:16,17. Job 5,6. Isa. 6:5-7. Dan. 10:10-12. Luke 5:8-10.) Selah. (Connecting this Divine forgiveness with prayer and worship, which can be accepted only from those who have the experience. Cp. vv. 4 and 7.)
6 For this let every one that is a man of loving-kindness (who has experienced this Divine grace or favor) pray to You in a time of finding his need:
Surely in the floods of great waters (put for the time of need in preceding line) they shall not come near to Him.
7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall compass me about with shoutings of deliverance. Selah. (Connecting this worship and praise with the further instruction and guidance which such receive.)
8 I will instruct you (Yehovah now speaks. See title of this Psalm) and teach you in the way which you go:
Let me cause My eye to take counsel concerning you. (Used of Jethro [Ex. 18:19,&c.], Nathan [1 Kings 1:12,&c.], Jeremiah [Jer. 38:15].)
9 Be you not as the horse, or as the mule (cp. Prov. 26:3), which have no understanding:
Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle,
Otherwise they will not draw near to you. (I.e. for help and instruction, so as to understand what they are to do: [1] to help, [Deut. 4:7. Pss. 34:18; 119:151; 145:18. Neh. 13:4; or [2] in worship [Lev. 16:1. 1 Sam. 14:36. Ezek. 40:46; 44:13].)
10 Many sorrows shall be to the lawless one:
But he that confides in the LORD, loving-kindness (or grace) shall compass him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous:
And shout for joy, all you that are upright in heart.