Psalm 32
1 Of David. A maskil.
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!
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Psalm 32
Forgiven, covered, counted
(Verses 1-2) By God’s amazing grace a man who God saves is ‘blessed’ because his ‘transgressions’ are forgiven, his ‘sins’ are covered, and God does not ‘count against him’ his sin. God still changes him deeply so that ‘in his spirit is no deceit’. How? Because Jesus bore in His own body on the cross the wrath of God, the Father, against our sins when He died in our place. Also, the perfect, spotless righteousness and perfection of God the Son, Jesus, is counted by God the Father as covering every repentant sinner’s sinful life. That arises when that sinner humbly confesses his sin, with sorrow, to God, turns from it and asks to be saved by faith in Jesus and His death for him. All his sins were paid for when counted against Jesus on the cross. So when a sinner comes to Christ, those sins are no longer counted against him. The blessing of being forgiven, covered, and counted as righteous are for everyone who receives Christ. One of the results is that a deceitful spirit is taken away, too.
(Verses 3-5) 2 Samuel 11,12 and Psalm 51 cover David’s adultery with Bathsheba, his deceit, murder of Uriah and other soldiers, and delayed repentance. We learn now how David suffered badly, even physically. God’s heavy hand of conviction was on him. At last he confessed his sins to God, after prophet Nathan’s bold witness. So, God forgave and cleansed his sin and guilt
(Verses 6-7) Trusting Christ starts a life of ‘godly’ living. You pray to God. He keeps and protects you even in rising waters of danger. He hides you and surrounds you with ‘songs of deliverance.’ To walk with God is to turn from sin, trust and obey Jesus through His word, and follow Him.
(Verses 8-9) Another result of turning from sin and trusting in the LORD is that as you read His word, the Bible, each day God instructs, teaches, counsels, and watches over you. He wants you to walk with Him and get to know Him better each day. So, do not be ‘mule-headed’. Unlike a horse, you need no controlling ‘bit and bridle’ if you walk trusting and obeying the Lord.
(Verses 10-11) You will escape the ‘woes of the wicked’ when you trust in the LORD’s unfailing and surrounding love. That is reason to rejoice, be glad and sing. By your faith in Jesus, God now counts you, a guilty sinner, as righteous and upright. You have good reason to be joyful! Rejoice! And tell others why.
