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Psalm 32
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 32
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 32[a]
The Joy of Being Forgiven
1 Of David. A maskil.[b]
[c]Blessed is the one whose offense is forgiven,
whose sin is erased.
2 Blessed is the one to whom the Lord charges no guilt
and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 As long as I remained silent,[d]
my body wasted away
as the result of my groaning throughout the day.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength withered steadily
as though consumed by the summer heat.[e] Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I made no attempt to conceal my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my offenses[f] to the Lord,”
and you removed the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore, let everyone who is faithful pray to you
where you may be found.[g]
Even if great floods threaten,
they will never reach him.
7 You are a place of refuge for me;
you preserve me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.[h] Selah
8 I will instruct you
and guide you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you
and keep my eyes upon you.
9 Do not behave without understanding
like a horse or a mule;
if its temper is not curbed with bit and bridle,
it will not come near you.
10 The wicked has a multitude of troubles,
but the man who trusts in the Lord
is surrounded by kindness.[i]
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
shout for joy, all you upright of heart.[j]
Footnotes
- Psalm 32:1 This is the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143), a joyous testimony of gratitude for God’s gift of forgiveness for those who confess their sins and follow the law of God. Instead of constantly pondering their sins, believers acknowledge their wretchedness before God and accept forgiveness and reconciliation. Their torment ceases, and a new person is born, overwhelmed by grace, confidence, and a sense of obedience.
In praying this psalm, we can focus not only on the happiness resulting from the forgiveness of particular sin but also on the more profound happiness obtained by the complete victory given us by God in Christ over sin under all its forms. - Psalm 32:1 Maskil: this term cannot be given a precise translation; perhaps it means “teaching” or “training.”
- Psalm 32:1 Joyous declaration of the happiness of having one’s sins forgiven by God (see Pss 65:5; 85:2; Job 31:33). This text is cited by Paul in Rom 4:7-8. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1.
- Psalm 32:3 I remained silent: did not confess the sin before God. Body: literally, “bones.”
- Psalm 32:4 According to St. Augustine, even before penitents acknowledge their sin, God hears the cry of their heart and pardons it because of their true contrition (see 2 Sam 12:13).
- Psalm 32:5 Sin . . . guilt . . . offenses: these are the three most common Hebrew words for evil thoughts and actions (see Ps 51:3-4; Isa 59:12).
- Psalm 32:6 The psalmist encourages the godly to draw near to God; even in the greatest adversities, the Lord will protect them. Where . . . found: another version is: “in time of distress.” Great floods: symbol of grave danger (see note on Ps 18:17).
- Psalm 32:7 After receiving God’s help, the psalmist will be surrounded by people celebrating this latest act of deliverance while he brings thank offerings.
- Psalm 32:10 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
- Psalm 32:11 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
Psalm 32
Common English Bible
Psalm 32
Common English Bible
Psalm 32
A maskil[a] of David.
32 The one whose wrongdoing is forgiven,
whose sin is covered over, is truly happy!
2 The one the Lord doesn’t consider guilty—
in whose spirit there is no dishonesty—
that one is truly happy!
3 When I kept quiet, my bones wore out;
I was groaning all day long—
every day, every night!—
4 because your hand was heavy upon me.
My energy was sapped as if in a summer drought. Selah
5 So I admitted my sin to you;
I didn’t conceal my guilt.
“I’ll confess my sins to the Lord, ” is what I said.
Then you removed the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 That’s why all the faithful should pray to you during troubled times,[b]
so that a great flood of water won’t reach them.
7 You are my secret hideout!
You protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of rescue! Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you
about the direction you should go.
I’ll advise you and keep my eye on you.
9 Don’t be like some senseless horse or mule,
whose movement must be controlled
with a bit and a bridle.[c]
Don’t be anything like that![d]
10 The pain of the wicked is severe,
but faithful love surrounds the one who trusts the Lord.
11 You who are righteous, rejoice in the Lord and be glad!
All you whose hearts are right, sing out in joy!
Footnotes
- Psalm 32:1 Perhaps instruction; it also appears in Pss 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, 142; cf 47:7; the root is used in Ps 32:8.
- Psalm 32:6 Correction; MT at a time of finding only
- Psalm 32:9 Heb uncertain
- Psalm 32:9 Heb uncertain
Psalm 32
New International Version
Psalm 32
New International Version
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a]
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.(A)
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them(B)
and in whose spirit is no deceit.(C)
3 When I kept silent,(D)
my bones wasted away(E)
through my groaning(F) all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy(G) on me;
my strength was sapped(H)
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 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)
6 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)
7 You are my hiding place;(Q)
you will protect me from trouble(R)
and surround me with songs of deliverance.(S)
8 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.
9 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
- Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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