Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 32

Transgression — sin — iniquity. —The same terms used here to express the compass and heinousness of sin are found, though in different order, in Exodus 34:7. For St. Paul’s reading of this passage, see Romans 4:6-7.

When I kept. —He describes his state of mind before he could bring himself to confess his sin (the rendering of the particle ki by when, compare to Hosea 11:1, is quite correct). Like that knight of story, in whom

“His mood was often like a fiend, and rose
And drove him into wastes and solitudes
For agony, who was yet a living soul,”

this man could not live sleek and smiling in his sin, but was so tortured by “remorseful pain” that his body bore the marks of his mental anguish, which, no doubt, “had marred his face, and marked it before his time.”

My bones waxed old. —For this expression compare to Psalms 6:2.

Your hand was heavy. —The verb, as in kept silence in Psalm 32:3, is properly present—the agony is still vividly present.

My moisture. —The Hebrew word is found only once elsewhere (Numbers 11:8), where the Authorized Version has fresh oil; the Septuagint and Vulgate, an oily cake. Aquila has of the breast of oil, reading the word erroneously.

Here, both the Septuagint and Vulgate seem to have had a different reading for the passage in Psalms: I was turned to sorrow while the thorn was fixed in. Symmachus translates somewhat similarly, but with to destruction instead of to sorrow. Aquila offers to my spoiling in summer desolation.

These readings, however, mistake the lamed, which is part of the word, for a preposition. Gesenius connects the Hebrew word with an Arabic root meaning to suck, and so derives the meaning juice or moisture.

Into the drought of summer. —This is the best rendering of the Hebrew, though it might be either as in summer dryness or with summer heat. Some understand it literally as a fever, but it is better to take it figuratively as the soul-fever which the whole passage describes.

I acknowledged. —The fact that this verb is future, as is “I will confess” in the next clause, as well as the requirements of the passage, supports Hupfeld’s suggestion that “I said” has been misplaced and should be restored to the beginning of the verse. (Compare Psalms 73:15, and Note.) The meaning is:

“I said, ‘I will acknowledge my sin to you,
And I did not hide my iniquity.
(I said) ‘I will confess my transgression to Jehovah,
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.’”

For this: that is, for this cause.

Shall every one. A better rendering is let every one.

In a time ...: See the margin. The expression “time of finding,” is, of course, elliptical.

The Authorized Version explains this by Isaiah 55:6; but Isaiah 45:8 would suggest that “forgiveness” or “acceptance” is the word to be supplied.

More probably still, some general word, such as “goal” or “object,” is required; the phrase is rendered by the Septuagint as in the appointed time; and by the Vulgate as opportune.

Surely. This word adds emphasis to the statement, whether we render it after Proverbs 13:10 as only unto him, or as in the Authorized Version: He—the godly—is the man whom, when the floods rise, they shall not harm.

The floods may be an image of divine judgment, as in Nahum 1:8, or of temptation and trial, as in Matthew 7:24-27.