Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 6 · Book 1 · Commentary on psalm 32
PSAL. XXXII.
David teacheth that blessednesse consisteth in remission of sinnes. 3 Hiding of sinnes causeth trouble, but confession giveth ease to the conscience. 8 An instruction unto voluntary obedience. 10 The different ends of the wicked and of the just.
An instructing Psalme of David:
O Blessed hee whose trespasse is forgiven, whose sinne is covered. O blessed is the man, to whom Iehovah imputeth not iniquitie, and in whose spirit is no deceit. Because I ceased speaking, my bones wore away with age in my roring all the day. For day & night thy hand was heavy upō me; my moisture was turned into the droughts of summer Selah. My sin I acknowledged to thee, and my iniquitie I covered not; I said, I will confesse against me my trespasses to Iehovah: and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sinne Selah. For this shall every gracious Saint pray unto thee at the time of finding: surely, at the floud of many waters, unto him they shall not reach. Thou art a secret place to me, from distresse thou wilt preserve me; with shouting songs of deliverance thou wilt compasse me Selah. I will make thee prudent, and will teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe: I will give counsell, mine eye shall be upon thee. Be not ye as the horse, as the mule, without understanding, whose mouth must be stopped with bit and bridle, which come not neere unto thee. Many pains are for the wicked, but he that trusteth in Iehovah, mercy shall compasse him. Rejoyce ye in Iehovah, and be glad ye just, and shout joyfully all ye upright of heart.
Annotations.
AN instructing Psalme] or, A Psalme that maketh prudent, that causeth understanding. As in the 8. verse of this psalm he saith, I wil make thee prudent, or instruct thee. This title is set before sundry other Psalmes. whose sinne is covered] meaning, by the Lord, Psal. 85. 3. not by a man himselfe, who must not cover, but acknowledge sinne, Psal. 32. 5. otherwise, he shall not prosper, Prov. 28. 13. Now God covereth sinne, when hee imputeth it not, as the verse following sheweth: and as this is mans happinesse, so for God not to cover it, is woe and misery, Nehem. 4. 5.
Vers. 2. not impute] not thinke, count, or reckon. And this is an effect of his grace in Christ, as it is written, God was in Christ, and reconciled the world to himselfe, not imputing their sinnes unto them, 2 Cor. 5. 19. And hereunto the Apostle applieth this Psalme thus; David saith, blessednesse is the mans unto whom God imputeth justnesse without works; saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sinnes are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sinne, Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8.
Vers. 3. because I ceased speaking] or, when I kept silence, forbearing to confesse my sinnes, as after, vers. 5. Like doctrine Elih… teacheth, Iob 33. 19,—22.
Vers. 4. thy haud] in Chaldee, thy plague. moisture] the chiefe sap, or radicall moisture, which is an airy and oily substance, dispred through the body, whereby the life is fostered, and which being spent, death ensueth. This word is used onelyonly here and in Num. 11. 8. where it is applied to the best moisture (or creame) of oile.
Vers. 5. confesse] Confessing of sinnes is when one freely manifesteth them, accusing himselfe, and praising Gods merciemercy, which he expecteth in faith: see Ios. 7. 19. against me my trespasses] or, concerning my trespasses; but both the Greeke version plainly hath, against me, and elsewhere the Hebrew ghnalei (here vsed) seemeth to bee put for ghnalai: as Psal. 108. 10. compared with Psal. 60. 10. the iniquitie of my sinne] that is, the guilt and punishment of it; as Psal. 31. 11. And thus he that confesseth and forsaketh sinne, shall have merciemercy, Prov. 28. 13. for if wee acknowledge our sinnes, God is faithfull and just, to forgive us them, 1 Ioh. 1. 9 See also Iob 33. 27, 28.
Vers. 6. the time of finding] or, time to finde: which may be meant of the time when afflictions shall finde, that is, shall come vponupon him; as Psal. 116. 3, 4. or the time when God may be found, as Isa. 55. 6. and that time is, when he is sought with the whole heart, Deut. 4. 29. Ier. 29. 13. 2 Chron. 15. 15. To this latter the Chaldee applieth it, saying, of favour. floud] or inundation. As waters signifie afflictions, Psal. 69. 2. so a floud of waters denoteth great troubles and persecutions, Dan. 9. 26. and 11. 22. Nahum 1. 8. Isa. 59. 19. Rev. 12. 15, 16. The Chaldee paraphraseth, in the time when many peoples come as waters, they shall not come neare him to doe him evill.
Vers. 7. shouting songs of deliverance] or, of evasion, that is, thou wilt give me occasion by deliverance of me, to sing many songs of praise unto thee.
Vers. 8. mine eie shall be upon thee] or, mine eie I will set upon thee, that is, I will have care of, and looke well unto thee, as Ier. 40. 4. Ezra. 5. 5. Deut. 11. 12. Psal. 34. 16. So the Chaldee explaineth it, I will counsell thee, and set mine eie upon thee for good. Or thus, I will give counsel unto thee with mine eie, that is, with my care and providence. Thus Christ counselled Peter with his eie, Luk. 22. 61. So the eie is said to mocke, Prov. 30. 17.
Vers. 9. as the horse, &c.] that is, be not fooles, and brutish, so as ye must be ruled by force and rigour, not by reason. For unto the horse belongs a whip, unto the asse a bridle, and a rod to the fooles backe, Prov. 26. 3. mouth must be stopped] or, jaw is to be tied. Hebr. to stop; for, to be stopped: active for passive; as after Ps. 36. 3. which come not neare] that is, which will not obey or doe thee service, unlesse they be forced and ruled by the bridle: according to the saying of the Apostle, Behold, wee put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey us, Iam. 3. 3.
Vers. 10. Many paines] or, Great smarts (or sores) are for the wicked: So Solomon saith, Affliction followeth sinners, &c. Prov. 13. 21. and 19. 29. and 24. 20.