Psalm 32

Psalm 32

One of the penitential psalms

The psalm has an interesting structure:

A. vv. 1-2 are written in 3^rd person

   B. vv. 3-5 are written in 1^st person

A’. v. 6 is written in 3^rd person

     C. v. 7 is written in 2nd person

          D. v.8 is written in 1^st person

     C’. v. 9 are written in 2^nd person (imperative)

          D’. v. 10 is written in 3^rd person

     C”. v. 11 is written in 2^nd person

A. The psalm begins with a double blessing:

            a. transgression is forgiveness

            a’. sin is covered

            b. man with no iniquity

            b’. spirit with no deceit

We’ve met word blessed before – psalm 1 begins with it. Ash’rei – can be translated as blessed but also as happy or lucky. Overall, it is a man who feels lucky and happy because his life resembles the providential blessing of God. There is no more blessing that being in the right relationship with God or having a right standing before God. 

To be blessed is to recognize the need of forgiveness. This right standing before God can’t be achieved by our paying back or “reimbursement” for the mischiefs. Everyone needs forgiveness.   

St. Paul uses the first three lines in his Letter to Romans discussing the grace apart from works – for God’s forgiveness is a gift (Romans 4:7-8).

 

B. After a general introduction David goes into a personal account of the realization of the need for Confession and Absolution. An attempt to conceal sin led to inner distress – psychosomatic effect.

All day long at the end of verse three is paired up with “day and night” in the fourth – meaning that the consequences of sin haunted him not only during the sunlight part of the day but disturbed his sleep too. One of the reasons – the heavy hand of the Lord (your hand). Heavy can also be translated as “glorious” [same word]. There is a glory of God in leading sinners to repentance. Then he adds a very detailed picture of that – my strength dried as by the heat of the summer. We live here on Central Coast enjoying the mid-temperature climate. But think about the desert areas – Bakersfield, or Arizona, or New Mexico… You can put a juicy apple on the sun and it will dry up pretty fast.

After a serious push by God David acknowledges his sin – he did not cover his iniquity – an opposite action compared to the action of God – see v. 1:b-2a. Therefore, when we un-cover our sin, He covers it. What He covers it with? Blood of Christ.  

Liturgical use:

LSB, Divine service (setting 3) uses verse 5 as an introduction to the Confession and Absolution.

A’.  God promised to us His forgiveness – we don’t need to beg for it, we don’t need to buy it, we don’t need travel to special place where God will hear us better – He hears us as we pray.

Then the consequences of sin is compared here with the flood! (v. 6b).