The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 232

EXPOSITION. PSALM XXXII. Me three aspects under whioh sin is viewed in Holy Seri pture : 1. A.e e.n offence e.ge.i nst Tms psalm hne been selected by_ the Church God's Law. 'fhis is" transgression "-ilvoµlcz. for onD of the "seven penitential psalms." 2. As an offence against the eternal and lt forms a pa.rt of the service of the syna- immnte.ble rule of right. Thie is" sin"- gogue on the great De.y of Atonement. Yet l.:µapTla. 3. A.e e.n internal depravatioa e.ud defilement of the sinner's soul. This is it is e.lmost e.s much jubilant as penitent. "iniqnity "-&.~,,,(a (comp. Exod. xx.xiv. 7). It opens with two bee.titndes. The writer, Ee.oh ILl!pect of sin he.s its own especial while very sensible of his sin (vers. 3-5), is remedy, or manner of removal. The "trans- still more sensible of the fact that his sin gression" is "lifted up," •• ta.ken o.we.y "- is pardoned (vere. 1, 2, 7, 10). While his a1p•T"'o ?uf,a.lpETa.1 - more voguely a,plna,. The •• sin " ie '' covered," "hidden"- first wortls breathe content and gratitude, 1ta.\6'rn-rai., ;.,,.,,,..,.,J,.,,..,.Ta.1. The "iniquity" his last a.re a shont of rejoicing (ver. 10). is "not imputed "-o/, Ao,,l(•Ta,. The union It is allowed genera.Uy that the pso.lm is of o.11 three, as here in vers. 1, 2, is complete David's. Written probably soon after hie remiesion or forgiveneBB. repentnncr, bat not immediately after, it Ver. 2.-Bleesed is the me.n unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. "Iniquity" expresses at on<'e his sorrow for his grievons -the defilement of the sinner's own soul by lnpse,and hie joy when he dwelt in thonght sin-is not o.t once removable ; if removn.ble uron the words," The Lord also bath put at all, it is only so by long !CLpee of time, nnd away thy 6in" (2 Sam. xii. 13). It likewise God's specie.I mercy. Bat God cCLa, nt his tells us something of his eto.te of feeling own will e.nd nt Bny moment," not impute" it-not count it n.gainst the sinner to his during the interval between the commission detriment. Thea in God's eight tho man of the sin and Nathan's coming to him is clean ; it is e.s though the iniquity were (vers. 3, 4). not there. And in whose spirit there is no The last word of the title, "Masch ii," guile; i.e. no fn.lse seeming-no hypocrisv- is thought to meRD that the psalm was where repeatnnce hns been eince!'o and renl. Ver. 3.-When I kept silence; i.e. so long mtcnded for instruction, warning, or o.cl- as I did not acknowledge my sin-while I monition; the word maecl,i7, ormther mas1'i1, remained silent about it, quite nware thnt Leing formed from ashil, "to instruct "-the I ho.cl sinned grievously, suffering in con- ope11ing word of the eighth verse-nsed eeienoe, but not confessing it even to myself. nlso in PBB. ii. 10; liii. 2, etc. There are The time spoken of is that wliich irnme- din.tely followed the commission of the thirteen psalms thns inscribed, all more adultery, and which continued until Ne.thnn or leoe of e. didactic chamcter. uttered the words, "Thou art the mnn I " Rhythmically, the pen.Im seems to be (2 Sam. xii. 7). My bones WILlted old through composed of six strophes, each of two verses: my roaring e.11 the day long ; i.e. I suffered but in the third strophe the two verses have grievous po.in, both bodily and mentnl. My bones oohed (comp. Pse. vi. 2; xu:i.10): n.nd lieen joined in one. I " roared," or gronned, in spirit. "o.11 the Yer. 1.-Blossed is he whose trllllligression clay long." Unconfessed sin rnnklea in the la forgiven, and whose sin is oove:-ed. There hr:nt of 11, mnn who is not far gono in i-ice, I'S. xxxu. 1-11.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 237