Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 32
The xxxii. PSALM.
David sheweth what makes a man blessed, to wit, the justifying, pardoning, and sanctifying grace of God; which he affirms feelingly in the sense of his own miserie, the whilest it was suspended from him, and the happiness he had when God renewed it in him, whence he takes occasion to animate himself and all that are Godly in the faith of Gods goodness, and from his own experience perswades from stubbornness in sin, to yieldableness in piety, for that produceth nothing but miserie, but faith and holiness brings true joy and happiness.Psalm xxxii. A Psalm of David, Maschil.
A Psalm made by David upon the experimental miserie of the guilt of sin, instructing all men wherein true happiness onelyonly consists.
1 ALl men would be happie and blessed,1BLessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. but all men are not so, whatever they think by themselves, no, no one are, abound they never so in worldly felicitie, saving he and he onelyonly, who by a lively faith laying hold of merciemercy in the vertue of a promise is sensible of the free pardon of all his transgressions, and of his being clothed upon with the imputed righteousness of his redeemer.
2 Blessed,2Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie, and in whose spirit there is no guil. yea, I say again, onelyonly blessed and happy is that man whom in merciemercy God freely justifies, and acquits from the guilt and punishment of his sin, and seals it to him by the never-failing testimonie of his sanctifying spirit, bestowed upon him, creating him anew towards God in sinceritie and holiness.
3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old; through my roaring all the day long.3 I can speak by experience, for when as I loved my sin, and lived in it, and was loth to confess and forsake it, not seeking pardon for it, nor grace against it, how bitter and burdensome at last did the Lord make it to me, tormenting me within with most insupportable horrours to the sensible decay of nature, by reason of his heavy displeasure, and the want of his favour, so that it made me restlesly to roar and crie.
4For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah4 Yea, incessantly without intermission was I tormented with fear and terrour, so that I was even scorched, and my natural moisture dried up with inward anguish, like unto leaves and grass by a summers drought. I speak it freelingly.
5I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquitie have I not hid: I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sin. Selah.5 This made me come off, and glad I was to acknowledge my sin unto thee, and ask forgiveness, which I did, not daring to conceal it any longer, but spread it before thee with confession and deprecation: And truly when once I did but feel my self throughly and sincerely resolved in my spirit no longer to hide and harbour it in my bosom, but humbly in self-judging to lay it open before the Lord, presently hereupon I felt my heart eased of mine inward pressures, and cleared with the comfortable apprehension of the pardon of the guilt and punishment of my sin, and thine acceptance of me into grace and favour again. I speak it joyfully.
6 This testimonie of mine touching thy ready merciemercy to humble penitents,6For this, shall every one that is Godly, pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the flouds of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto him. shall incite by the faith thereof all that are, or desire to be Godly, to make their addresses to thee in their trouble for sin, in hope and full assurance to find the like merciemercy from thee in their miserie, which is a time indeed wherein thou art readiest to afford help and comfort. Surely in the greatest of outward troubles or inward perplexities such an one as flies to thee for refuge, shall find as I have done, that though like waves they may threaten and affright him, yet they shall not overwhelm him, but being in faith by prayer sought unto, thou wilt command a calm in his soul, as thou didst in mine.
7 Thou art the refuge that my soul still flies unto for succour in all distresses,7Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble: thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. and so thou hast approved thy self, and so wilt ever do in time of need: I am confident thou wilt never but shew me merciemercy in my miserie, and so wilt ever give me cause to praise thee, and rejoyce in thee, still as I have need of thee, by my manifold and seasonable deliverances. To thy glorie I speak it.
8 As I have learned of the Lord the way of weldoing, so will I,8I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guid thee with mine eye. as is my dutie teach it unto thee, who ever thou art, for thy welfare; out of a care and and desire of thy good. I will shew thee the readie and certain way of gaining the favour of God, as I have found it, and seen the experience of it, so will I declare it to thee.
9 Which is this,9Be ye not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding: whose mouths must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. walk humbly with thy God, and be tractable to his will and pleasure, not rebelliously persisting in sin, and so foolishly provoking him against thee to reduce thee by extremities, as we are fain to do brute beasts, or plague thee with his judgements, to keep thee within compass.
10Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.10 For the wicked by their wickedness do but kick against pricks, and heap up judgement to themselves. But he that is the Lords by faith and obedience, the sails of his soul shall be filled with the comfortable sense of Gods merciemercy and favour to him, and he shall find the good effects thereof in the whole course of his life.
11Be glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye righteous: and shout for joy all ye that are up…ight in heart.11 Therefore if the wicked will still be so, at their peril. But as for the Godly they have chosen the better part, for the Lord is their portion, in whom they may and ought to be glad and rejoyce, even all that believe in him for the pardon of their sins, and are sanctified by his holy spirit; such, whatsoever the world think of them, that are thus sincere and truly Godly (which all are not that make profession, and shew of religion) have infinit cause of joy, in their blessed and happie condition, which they shall do well to put in practise, and make conscience of, by an answerable actual rejoycing and comfortable course of life to the conviction of the world, and the honour of God.