A Study by Scott Sperling Psalm 32 Of David. A maskil.   1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.   3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah   5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" -- and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah   6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; Surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding-place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah   8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding But must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.   11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! This psalm fulfills a promise of David's that he made in Psalm 51. That psalm (which most certainly predates this one) is a prayer to God for forgiveness for his sin with Bathsheba. David, smarting under guilt for his sin, asked God: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation" (Ps. 51:12). Then David promised: "Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You" (Ps. 51:13). And so here, David teaches us of the joy of the Lord's salvation when he proclaims: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered" (vs. 1). Many need instruction in this. They don't know the joy of the Lord's forgiveness. They have not yet discovered the value of the Lord's pardon. They have their minds set on the wealth of the world, having not yet experienced the riches of imputed righteousness and a clear conscience before God. Psalm 32:1-2 The Blessedness of the Forgiven   1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.   David begins by stating: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit"  (vss. 1-2). This is only one of two psalms that David begins by teaching us who is "blessed". In Psalm 1, David declares: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" (Psalms 1:1). In that psalm, David speaks of the blessings of the righteous man; in this psalm, David speaks of the blessings of the forgiven man. It is appropriate that the other psalm comes first. Certainly, the blessings of the truly righteous take precedence. I would much rather be "blessed" because I am righteous; but, alas, I sin. As we begin reading the book of Psalms, we read first of the blessedness of the upright man. Yes, I say, as we begin reading this book of Psalms, just as if we were beginning our journey in life, we read of the blessedness of the truly righteous, and agree that, yes, this is true blessedness, worthy of our effort. But as we continue reading in the Psalms, we read of David's trials and struggles, even as we continue in our own life's journey and in our own trials and struggles, and we realize (as did David), in our own effort, we cannot fully attain the blessings of the truly righteous. We sin, we stumble, we fall. And so, the realization comes to us that the blessings spoken of in the first psalm are foreign to us, because we cannot live the life of the upright man. Then we come to this psalm, and we find that, through the grace of God, we too can live a life full of God's blessing through His forgiveness. Indeed, we too can shout with David: "Blessed is he who transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." Since we fall short of true righteousness, it follows that the blessedness spoken of here is the source of all God's blessings, and the greatest manifestation of His love for us. Yes, all true and lasting happiness comes from God's forgiveness of our sins. How can the man who is not at peace with his Maker be blessed in life? He may (by God's grace) have temporary blessings in this life. He may enjoy the fruit of his labor; he may marry and revel in happy times with his family; he may experience and marvel at the wonderful works of God's creation; he may soar in emotional highs through the world's joys of the arts, athleticism, professional achievement; he may live a life of leisure and peace with his neighbors through his hard-earned prosperity; but though these things give him temporary happiness, these blessings must all come to an end if he be not at peace with God. And in our sin, we cannot be at peace with God. God is holy, and so cannot allow His Name to be tarnished through the approbation of anyone in sin. Praise be to God that He has provided a way by which we may be forgiven! David knew of God's forgiveness through the rituals and sacrifices in the law, but he also knew that these were insufficient, only a shadow of the true forgiveness that God would provide later. He said to God: "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Ps. 51:16-17). God has since provided His Son as the true sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. We can experience, more fully than David ever could, the "blessed"ness of he "whose transgressions are forgiven", because we know the whole plan of the salvation offered by God through Jesus Christ. Psalm 32:3-7 The Need to Confess Sin to God 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah   5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" -- and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah   6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; Surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding-place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah   To experience the blessedness of forgiveness, we must acknowledge our sin before God. John teaches: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:8-9). The blessedness of forgiveness comes to those (as David says) "in whose spirit is no deceit" (vs. 2). Those who fail to acknowledge their sin before God have a "spirit"  of "deceit". They attempt to deceive God by ignoring their sin before Him. In truth, of course, they are only deceiving themselves: God sees our sin. He knows of it before we confess it. To fail to confess a sin is to continue in it. To fail to confess a sin is to deny God's sovereignty; it is to say: "This needs not confessing because I have decided it needs not forgiveness." We are all guilty of this at one time or another. We all have sins that we commit over and over, and are so reluctant to bring before God because we want to continue in them. We do not want to acknowledge them as sin, because then we cannot with a clear conscience continue in them. Praise be to God that He seeks to remedy this in His people through the work of His Spirit via our conscience. He sends the "heavy hand" (see vs. 4) of guilt and affliction to urge us to turn back to Him and confess our sin. David had experience with this: "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer" (vss. 3-4). We see, the cost of unconfessed sin is dear. Not only do we miss out on the "blessed"ness of being forgiven, but we experience the affliction of God's "heavy hand". David experienced bodily affliction. His "bones wasted away", his "strength was sapped", even "day and night". The affliction of God did accomplish its purpose: "Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, `I will confess my transgressions to the LORD'--and You forgave the guilt of my sin" (vs. 5). David did finally turn to God to confess his sin. Most commentators believe that David is looking back on his confession of his sin with Bathsheba. In that case, David waited months before confessing it to the Lord. It was not until after the son of David and Bathsheba was born that Nathan the prophet visited David to elicit the confession (see II Sam. 12:14). My friend, do not follow David's example in this by waiting so long to confess sin. Do you enjoy the "heavy hand" of God upon you? (For my part, I would much rather be lifted up by God's hand). Don't you want to experience the "blessed"ness of the forgiven? When your sins are forgiven, there is nothing standing in the way of God's fountain of blessings. David encourages the same thing: "Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him" (vs. 6). Note David says: "...while You may be found" (vs. 6). We take for granted that we will always be in a position to have the opportunity to confess our sin and receive forgiveness. We think: "Oh, God will always be there. I don't need to repent now. I can always do so later." Yes, God will always be there, but will you be able to find Him? Sin most often leads to further sin; and further sin leads to a hardened heart. Thoughts of God flee hardened hearts. The need to confess your sin may not later burden your heart. As Paul stated: "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2). The change in David's life after confessing his sin was evident from the way he viewed God: "You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance" (vs. 7). In verse 4, under the weight of guilt, the hand of God was "heavy upon" David; here in verse 7, free of the guilt of sin, God is David's "hiding place". Psalm 32:8-9 The Lord Adds to David’s Instruction 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding But must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.   Here we have (I believe) an addition to David's instruction by the Lord Himself: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. " (vss. 8). We are forgiven by God, not so that we may again follow our own lusts, but that we may change and be obedient to God. God Himself helps us in this. God promises guidance to those who turn to Him. How could we go wrong with the Lord of the Universe guiding our steps? He promises guidance in four ways. He says: "I will instruct you... teach you in the way you should go... counsel you... and watch over you." God "instructs" us through His Word and His Law. It is the wise man who is a continual student of the Word of God. God "teaches [us] in the way [we] should go"  through His Son. The life of Christ is an example of a life lived in complete obedience to God. He "counsels"  us through His Spirit. Jesus said, speaking of the Holy Spirit: "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16). And through all this, the Father Himself "watches over [us]", presiding over all methods of guidance, drawing us to Him, leading us in His will. God then tells us that He expects obedience which arises out of our own desire: "Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you" (vs. 9). We are different than animals. We are made in the image of God. We have been given by God "understanding", reasoning abilities, together with a measure of free will. We can choose how to live our lives. We are not puppets of God. God does not control us with "bit and bridle". Sadly, man has not lived up to this privilege. Adam sinned and all mankind has followed in his footsteps. The evil in the world is a result of the free will that God gave us. And yet, if given a choice, we would still choose free will rather than being "controlled by bit and bridle". We enjoy our freedom. God here is telling us to live up to it. Choose to be obedient to your Maker. Choose to follow the instruction and counsel of God. Psalm 32:10-11 Praise for the Lord’s Forgiveness  10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.   11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! David comments on the wisdom of following the Lord's instruction: "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him" (vs. 10). So, you have a choice. You can choose "the woes of the wicked", or you can choose "the LORD's unfailing love". David concludes the psalm with an exhortation to praise the Lord for His forgiveness: "Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (vs. 11). Through His forgiveness, we are imputed with righteousness so that David can call us "you righteous. . . you upright in heart." There is much here to praise the Lord for. As stated, forgiveness of sin is the source of all God's blessing and the greatest manifestation of His love for us. For this, we should continually "rejoice in the LORD and be glad." And so Lord, we do rejoice and praise You for Your forgiveness of sins. We praise You that You have provided a way that we may seek Your forgiveness, through confession of our sins to You. And we praise You that You have provided a means for the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrifice of Your Son. Help us not to profane the great gift of forgiveness by continuing in sin. But rather, help us by Your Spirit to follow Your instruction and counsel so that we may become faithful men and women of God. We pray these things in the name of Your Son, through whom we receive forgiveness, Amen. ----------- Bibliography and Suggested Reading Alexander, Joseph Addison. The Psalms Translated and Explained.  Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot, 1864.  Anonymous.  A Plain Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Philadelphia:  Henry Hooker and Co., 1857. Barnes, Albert.  Notes on the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Harper & Brothers Publishing, 1871. Bonar, Andrew. Christ and His Church in the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860. Calvin, John.  A Commentary on the Book of Psalms.  3 Vols.  Oxford: D. A. Talboys, 1840. (Originally published in Latin in 1557).  Clarke, Adam. The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes.  Vol. III.  London:  William Tegg & Co., 1854.  (Originally published in 1831).  Cowles, Henry.  The Psalms with Notes, Critical, Explanatory and Practical.  New York:  D. Appleton & Co., 1872. Darby, John Nelson.  Practical Reflections on the Psalms.  London:  Robert L. Allan, 1870. Delitzsch, Franz.  Biblical Commentary on the Psalms. Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1892. (Originally published in 1860). Dickson, David. An Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, from Ps. 50 to Ps. 100. Cornhill, U.K.:  Ralph Smith, 1653.  Exell, Joseph S. and Henry Donald Spence-Jones, eds. The Pulpit Commentary. Vols. 17, 18, & 19. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1884.  Hengstenberg, F. W.  Commentary on the Psalms.  Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1864. Henry, Matthew.  An Exposition of All the Books of the Old and New Testament.  Vol. II.  London: W. Baynes, 1806. (Originally published in 1710). Horne, George. A Commentary on the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1854. Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David.  A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments.  Glasgow:  William Collins, Queen’s Printer, 1863. Kidner, Derek. Psalms (in 2 Vols.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008 (first published in 1975). Kirkpatrick, A. F. The Book of Psalms with Introduction and Notes – Books II and III (from The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge, UK: University Press, 1895. Lange, John Peter, ed. and Philip Schaff, trans.  A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical.  New York:  Charles Scribner & Co., 1865.  Maclaren, Alexander. The Psalms (in 3 Vols., from The Expositor’s Bible, ed. by W. R. Nicoll). New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1901. Perowne, J. J. Stewart.  The Book of Psalms:  A New Translation with Explanatory Notes.  London:  George Bell & Sons, 1880. Plumer, William S.  Studies in the Book of Psalms.  Philadelphia:  J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1872. Scott, Thomas. Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. III. London: James Nisbet, 1866. Spurgeon, Charles.  The Treasury of David.  6 Vols.  London: Marshall Brothers, Ltd., 1885. Tholuck, Augustus.  A Translation and Commentary of the Book of Psalms.  Philadelphia:  Martien, 1858. Trapp, John.  A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. Vol. II (Ezra to Psalms).  Edmonton, Canada: Still Waters Revival Books (www.PuritanDownloads.com). (Originally published c. 1660). VanGemeren, Willem A., (Gaebelein, Frank E., ed).  Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 5 – Psalms to Song of Songs.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991. -------- Many of these books (those in public domain) can be downloaded free of charge from:  http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com