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Psalm 32[a]

Remission of Sin

(A)Of David. A maskil.

I

Blessed is the one whose fault is removed,
    whose sin is forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,
    in whose spirit is no deceit.

II

Because I kept silent,[b] my bones wasted away;
    I groaned all day long.(B)
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength withered as in dry summer heat.
Selah
Then I declared my sin to you;
    my guilt I did not hide.(C)
I said, “I confess my transgression to the Lord,”
    and you took away the guilt of my sin.
Selah
Therefore every loyal person should pray to you
    in time of distress.
Though flood waters[c] threaten,
    they will never reach him.(D)
You are my shelter; you guard me from distress;
    with joyful shouts of deliverance you surround me.
Selah

III

I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk,
    give you counsel with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding;
    with bit and bridle their temper is curbed,
    else they will not come to you.

IV

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked one,
    but mercy surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
    exult, all you upright of heart.(E)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 32 An individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (cf. Ps 6). The opening declaration—the forgiven are blessed (Ps 32:1–2)—arises from the psalmist’s own experience. At one time the psalmist was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power (Ps 32:3–4), and then became open to the forgiving God (Ps 32:5–7). Sin here, as often in the Bible, is not only the personal act of rebellion against God but also the consequences of that act—frustration and waning of vitality. Having been rescued, the psalmist can teach others the joys of justice and the folly of sin (Ps 32:8–11).
  2. 32:3 I kept silent: did not confess the sin before God.
  3. 32:6 Flood waters: the untamed waters surrounding the earth, a metaphor for danger.

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[a]

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.(A)
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them(B)
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.(C)

When I kept silent,(D)
    my bones wasted away(E)
    through my groaning(F) all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy(G) on me;
my strength was sapped(H)
    as in the heat of summer.[b]

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.(I)
I said, “I will confess(J)
    my transgressions(K) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.(L)

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;(M)
surely the rising(N) of the mighty waters(O)
    will not reach them.(P)
You are my hiding place;(Q)
    you will protect me from trouble(R)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.(S)

I will instruct(T) you and teach you(U) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on(V) you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle(W)
    or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,(X)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts(Y) in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord(Z) and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  2. Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.