Psalm 32

¹How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven,[#tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15). Here it refers to the relief that one experiences when one’s sins are forgiven.; #tn Heb “lifted up.”]

whose sin is pardoned!

²How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish,[#tn Heb “man.” The word choice reflects the perspective of the psalmist, who is male. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, the gender and age specific “man” has been translated with the more neutral “one.”; #tn Heb “blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord does not impute wrongdoing.”]

in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³When I refused to confess my sin,[#tn Heb “when I was silent.”]

my whole body wasted away,

while I groaned in pain all day long.

⁴For day and night you tormented me;[#tn Heb “your hand was heavy upon me.”]

you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah)

⁵Then I confessed my sin;

I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.

I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord .”

And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)

⁶For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you[#tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).]

while there is a window of opportunity.

Certainly when the surging water rises,

it will not reach them.

⁷You are my hiding place;

you protect me from distress.

You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. (Selah)

⁸I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.[#tn The second person pronominal forms in this verse are singular. The psalmist addresses each member of his audience individually (see also the note on the word “eye” in the next line). A less likely option (but one which is commonly understood) is that the Lord addresses the psalmist in vv. 8-9 (cf. NASB “I will instruct you and teach you…I will counsel you with My eye upon you”).; #tn Heb “I will instruct you and I will teach you in the way [in] which you should walk.”]

I will advise you as I look you in the eye.

⁹Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule,[#tn The verb form is plural (i.e., “do not all of you be”); the psalmist addresses the whole group.; #tn Heb “like a horse, like a mule without understanding.”]

which will not obey you

unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.

¹⁰An evil person suffers much pain,[#tn Heb “many [are the] pains of evil [one].” The singular form is representative here; the typical evildoer, representative of the larger group of wicked people, is in view.]

but the Lord ’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.

¹¹Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!

Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright!