Psalm 32

The Joy of Forgiveness

Of David. A Maskil.

How joyful is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered!(A)
How joyful is a person whom
the Lord does not charge with iniquity(B)
and in whose spirit is no deceit!(C)

When I kept silent, my bones became brittle
from my groaning all day long.(D)
For day and night your hand was heavy on me;(E)
my strength was drained[a]
as in the summer’s heat.(F)Selah
Then I acknowledged my sin to you(G)
and did not conceal my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.(H)Selah

Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately.[b](I)
When great floodwaters come,
they will not reach him.(J)
You are my hiding place;(K)
you protect me from trouble.(L)
You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.Selah

I will instruct you and show you the way to go;(M)
with my eye on you, I will give counsel.(N)
Do not be like a horse or mule,
without understanding,
that must be controlled with bit and bridle
or else it will not come near you.(O)

10 Many pains come to the wicked,(P)
but the one who trusts in the Lord
will have faithful love surrounding him.(Q)
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,
you righteous ones;
shout for joy,
all you upright in heart.(R)

Footnotes

  1. 32:4 Hb obscure
  2. 32:6 Lit you at a time of finding

Thanksgiving for Forgiveness of Sins

Of David. A maskil.[a]

32 Happy is he whose transgression is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Happy is a person to whom Yahweh does not impute iniquity
and in whose spirit there is not deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones were worn out
due to my groaning all the day.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me.
My vigor was changed into the dry heat of summer. Selah
I made known my sin to you, and my iniquity I did not cover.
I said, “I will confess concerning my transgressions to Yahweh,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin. Selah
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
at the time for finding you.
Surely at the flood of many waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place;
from trouble you preserve me.
With cries of deliverance you surround me. Selah
I[b] will instruct you and teach you
in the way that you should go.
I will advise you with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or like a mule, without understanding;
that needs his tackle—bridle and rein—for restraint
or he would not come near you.
10 Many are the pains of the wicked,
but for the one who trusts Yahweh
loyal love surrounds him.
11 Be glad in Yahweh and rejoice, you righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright of heart.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 32:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 32:8 Yahweh is speaking in vv. 8–9