You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
The Blessedness of Forgiveness
Confession of sin, and God’s subsequent forgiveness, brings joy. David shares his inner anguish at unconfessed sin and the great release comes when transgressions are brought to the Lord. It is generally believed that this psalm, like Ps. 51, has its origin in David’s response to God following his infamous affair with Bathstheba. It is one of the marks of the integrity of Scripture that the low points as well as the triumphs of its principal characters are described. David contrasts the blessing of forgiveness experienced with the anguish of refusing to confess sin. Out of the experience he shares advice and conveys the promise that God will guide the forgiven and surround the person with trusts in Him with unfailing love.
Key: confession, forgiveness
32:1, 2 Forgiveness Hebrew words translated “forgive” include kapar, which indicates the removal of sin or ritual defilement by an atoning 
sacrifice, and nasa’. This latter word means to “lift up” or “take away.” In forgiveness, God takes away the sin which makes the sinner guilty and releases us from the threat of punishment. Another word translated forgive is salah, which means to pardon. Isaiah urges sinners to turn to God, confident that the Lord will have mercy and will “freely pardon (Isa.55:7). Old Testment pardon is closely tied to atoning sacrifices (sf. Lev. 4). The OT makes it clear that we have hope for forgiveness solely because of who God is. There is nothing in human beings that merits pardon, but it’s “in accordance with Your great love” that God forgives the sin of His people (Num. 14:19). Yet, despite the clear proclamation of divine forgiveness in the OT and the relief expressed by those who experienced it, the OT never explains how a holy God is able to absolve those who believe in Him. That mystery is resolved in the NT where the Gk. Word, aphesis, is used to indicate remission of sins. The preceding, key NT passages link forgiveness with Jesus and His death. Jesus sacrificed Himself taking, as our substitute, the punishment God has decreed for sin. Objectively, then forgiveness is a loving act by God in which, in view of Christ’s sacrifice, He pronounces the guilty innocent and so takes away our sins forever.
Blessed, the word that begins the Book of Psalms (1:1), means “to be happy.” It is appropriate that this term is used of both the righteous person of the first psalm and the confessed sinner in this psalm. Sin is covered: The poet describes God’s dealing with sin in various ways. Sin can be taken away, the basic meaning of the word forgiven, and covered, the basic meaning of atonement.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
32:3-5 I kept silent: The silence was a stubborn resistance to admitting guilt, a hope that in time the sin and its penalty would go away. The more David delayed his confession, the more he suffered. David realized it was not just his conscience or his feelings that were assaulting him, but the heavy hand of God (38:1, 6-8). No matter who else is hurt, the principal offense of any sin is always against the Lord. You forgave: The consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba remained despite God’s forgiveness. But at this point, the greater news was God’s forgiveness. But at this point, the greater news was God’s forgiveness. God had restored His relationship with David.
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
32:7 The psalm has quick and dramatic shifts. After addressing the congregation, David speaks directly to God: You are my hiding place.
7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
32:8, 9 I will instruct you: The speaker changes. The Lord “comes into the psalm” to instruct the people. He exhorts the people not to be like a horse that will not go where its rider wants it to go; it has to be disciplined because it is stubborn, God does not want to muzzle or bridle His people like a horse. He expects His servants to respond promptly to Him of their own accord. Counsel of God. Objectively, the “counsel” of God is His fixed purpose. Subjectively, God counsels us by leading us to choices which He knows are best for us. How vital to be in fellowship with the Lord, who alone can “instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.”
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.
32 1 A Psalm of David. A Contemplation. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
⇒ At a time like this, it is comforting to be reminded that we are protected by God Himself. Confession of sins is followed by deleting them and then we get to be covered and surrounded by God.
