서론
无标题
英文原文
This psalm, though it speaks not of Christ, as many of the psalms we have hitherto met with have done, has yet a great deal of gospel in it. The apostle tells us that David, in this psalm, describes "the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righteousness without words," Ro 4:6. We have here a summary, I. Of gospel grace in the pardon of sin (Ps 32:1,2), in divine protection (Ps 32:7), and divine guidance, Ps 32:8. II. Of gospel duty. To confess sin (Ps 32:3-5), to pray (Ps 32:6), to govern ourselves well (Ps 32:9,10), and to rejoice in God, Ps 32:11. The way to obtain these privileges is to make conscience of these duties, which we ought to think of—of the former for our comfort, of the latter for our quickening, when we sing this psalm. Grotius thinks it was designed to be sung on the day of atonement.
1-6
Who Are Blessed
谁是有福的
大卫训诲诗。
¹ 得赦免其过、遮盖其罪的，这人便为有福。
² 凡耶和华不算为有罪的，这人便为有福，他心里的灵里没有诡诈。
³ 我闭口不认罪的时候，因终日唉哼而骨头枯干。
⁴ 黑白昼夜，你的手在我身上沉重，我的精液耗尽，如同夏天的干旱。（细拉）
⁵ 我向你承认我的罪，不隐瞒我的恶。我说：我要向耶和华承认我的过犯，你就赦免了我罪的恶。（细拉）
⁶ 为此，凡虔诚人都当趁你可寻找的时候祷告你，大水泛溢的时候，必不能到他那里。
本篇题为「训诲诗」，有人以为只是它所配唱的曲调之名。但另有人以为此名有意义；旁注译为「大卫施训诲的诗」，我们在何事上比在真福乐之性质——其何在与达其之道——我们当如何行才能快乐——更需训诲呢？本篇中，有几样事情训诲我们。整体而言，我们在此受教：我们的福乐在于神的恩惠，不在于这世界的财富——在于属灵的福气，不在于这世界的财宝。当大卫说（诗1:1）「不从恶人的计谋……那人便为有福」，（诗119:1）「行为完全……的，这人便为有福」，意思是：「这是有福之人的品格；没有这品格的人不能指望快乐」；但此处说「得赦免其过的，这人便为有福」，意思是：「这是他福乐的根基：这是那基本的特权，他福乐的其他一切成分都由此涌出」。具体而言，我们在此受教，
一、关于罪得赦免之性质。这是我们众人都需要的，没有它便全然败坏；因此我们当十分关心、十分查问。1. 它是「赦免其过」。「罪就是违背律法。」我们悔改之时，过犯蒙赦免；即我们因律法的判语所躺在其中的刑罚义务被撤销、被取消；它是被「举起挪开」（有人如此读），好借其赦免使我们得以卸下重担——如同背上的担子使我们弯腰，如同胃上的重担使我们患病，如同灵上的重担使我们下沉。罪得赦免，使「劳苦担重担的人」得着安息和 relief（太11:28）。2. 它是「遮盖其罪」，如同赤身被遮盖，使它不至于出现成为我们的羞愧（启3:18）。我们始祖最初的罪疚症状之一，就是为自己的赤身羞愧。罪使我们在神眼中可憎，全然不配与他相交；良心既醒，也使我们在自己眼中可憎；但罪得赦免时，便被基督的义袍遮盖，如同神为亚当夏娃所穿的皮衣（这是罪得赦免的象征），神便不再向我们发怒，而是完全和解。它们不是向我们遮盖（不；「我的罪常在我面前」），也不是向神的全知遮盖，而是向他的报应之公义遮盖。他赦免罪时，「不再记念」，把它「丢在背后」，「虽寻找却寻不见」；罪人既如此与神和解，便开始与自己和解。3. 它是「不算为有罪」——不把它记在罪人的账上，不按律法的严苛追讨，不照他所当得的待他。基督的义归我们，我们又在他里面成为「神的义」，我们的罪便不被算为 ours——神已经「使我们众人的罪孽都归在他身上」，使他「替我们成为罪」。请观察，不算为有罪是神的作为，因为他是审判者。「称义的是神」。
二、关于罪得赦免之人的品格：「他心里的灵里没有诡诈」。他不是说「没有『罪疚』」（因为谁活着不犯罪呢？），而是没有「诡诈」；蒙赦免的罪人，是不在与神相交之中——不在悔改和信心的宣告中，不在求平安或求赦免的祷告中——装假的人，乃是在这一切上真诚、心口一致的人；不怀着再犯罪的目的悔改、又怀着再悔改的目的犯罪（如一位有学的译家所注释）。那诚心设计、实在就是他们外表所宣告的人，便是真以色列人，心里没有诡诈。
三、关于称义之状况的福乐：「『福乐』归于那罪得赦免的人」——各样的福气，足以使他完全有福。那招致咒诅、阻塞祝福的，已被除去；神便要倾福直到无处可容。罪的赦免是约中那一条，是其余一切的缘由和根据。「我要宽恕他们的不义」（来8:12）。
四、关于未谦卑的罪人——他看见罪疚却尚未被带到悔改的认罪——之不安的处境。大卫借自己可悲的经历十分动情地描述（诗32:3,4）：「我闭口不认罪的时候，骨头枯干」。那些「闭口」的，可说是扼杀自己觉悟的人——当他们既不能不见罪的邪恶和因之而来的危险，便借不思念它、把心思转向他事而宽慰自己，如同该隐转向建造城邑——「神捆绑他们的时候他们不呼求」——不愿借悔改的认罪卸下良心的重担，也不愿如他们所当行的借信实热切的祷告寻求平安——宁可在自己的罪中消瘦，也不愿走神所安排使灵魂得安息之路。这样的人当指望：他们扼杀的觉悟要成为骨中的火，未开的伤口要溃烂，痛得难以忍受。良心若被烙，情形便更危险；但若被惊动觉醒，便要发出声音。神圣怒气的手要被感到重压在灵魂上，灵的痛苦也要影响身体；程度之深，正如大卫所经历的——他年轻时骨头便枯干；连他的沉默也使他「终日唉哼」，如同身患重病的人，其实一切不安之因，只是他在自己胸中所感受的——他的觉悟与他的腐败之间的挣扎。注意，「遮掩自己罪过的，必不亨通」；悔改中固然需要内在的烦扰，但在不悔改中更糟。
五、关于良心得平安的真实而唯一的途径。我们在此受教：认我们的罪，使之得赦免；陈明它们，使我们得称义。大卫正是如此行：「我向你『承认』我的罪」，不再「隐瞒我的恶」（诗32:5）。注意，凡要得着罪得赦免之安慰的人，必须借悔改的认罪把羞愧归给自己。我们必须认罪的事实，并要具体（「如此如此我行了」），认罪的过错，加重它，并为此自责（「我行了极恶的事」），认罪所受刑罚的公义（「主啊，在我们所遭遇的一切事上，你是公义的」），并我们配受更重的——「我不配称为你的儿子」。我们必须以羞愧和圣洁的红脸认罪，以敬畏和圣洁的战兢认罪。
六、关于神乐意赦免真心悔改之人的罪：「我说：我要承认（我诚心决意，不再迟疑，定意要把自己诸般的罪坦白无隐地陈明），『你就赦免了我罪的恶』，并在我自己良心中赐我赦免的安慰；我立刻就得着了灵魂的安息」。注意，神在我们悔改时乐赦免罪，胜过我们为要得赦免而悔改。大卫在此被带到认罪的地步，可费了大力气；他在被带到这事以先被置于刑架（诗32:3,4），他坚持许久，不肯投降，直到最末的境地；但当他果真献上投降，请看他是何等迅速、何等容易得了好条件：「我不过说『我要承认』，你就赦免了」。如此，浪子的父亲在他「还远的时候」就看见归回的儿子，跑去迎接他，以亲吻封缄他的赦免。这对可怜悔改的人是何等的勉励，又何等地向我们保证：「我们若认自己的罪」，必见神不仅「信实公义」，更恩惠慈怜，「赦免我们的罪」！
七、关于我们当从大卫所经历的神乐赦之恩中作出好用途（诗32:6）：「为此，凡虔诚人都当『趁你可寻找的时候祷告你』」。注意，1. 凡虔诚人都是祷告的人。保罗一归正，「看见他正祷告」（徒9:11）。你找活人无呼吸，正如找活基督徒无祷告。2. 关于罪得赦免之人的福乐、以及得赦免之容易的训诲，当吸引并勉励我们祷告，特别祷告：「神啊，开恩可怜我这个罪人」。为此，凡心正的人当向神恳切祷告，并「坦然来到施恩宝座前」，盼望「得怜恤」（来4:16）。3. 凡要在祷告中 prevails 的，必须「趁可寻找的时候寻求耶和华」。当他借护理召人寻求他、又借圣灵感动人寻求他之时，他们当「快快去寻求耶和华」（亚8:21），并不迟延，免得死亡把他们剪除，那时再寻求他便太晚（赛55:6）。「看哪，现在正是悦纳的时候」（林后6:2）。凡真诚恳切祷告的人，必在他们患难中得益处：「大水泛溢的时候」，那本甚可怕的水，必不能到他那里恐吓他，或叫他不安，更不能淹没他。凡在所求的一切事上「有神亲近他们」的——一切正直、悔改、祷告的人都有——他们如此被护卫、被高升，以致众水——不，大水——不，，洪水——都不能临近他们加害他们。如同「那恶者」「不害他们」（约壹5:18），这邪恶世界的患难也是如此；这两类的火箭，都射不到他们。
英文原文
Who Are Blessed
A psalm of David, Maschil.
¹ Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
³ When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
⁴ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
⁵ I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
⁶ For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
This psalm is entitled Maschil, which some take to be only the name of the tune to which it was set and was to be sung. But others think it is significant; our margin reads it, A psalm of David giving instruction, and there is nothing in which we have more need of instruction than in the nature of true blessedness, wherein it consists and the way that leads to it—what we must do that we may be happy. There are several things in which these verses instruct us. In general, we are here taught that our happiness consists in the favour of God, and not in the wealth of this world—in spiritual blessings, and not the good things of this world. When David says (Ps 1:1), Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, and (Ps 119:1), Blessed are the undefiled in the way, the meaning is, "This is the character of the blessed man; and he that has not this character cannot expect to be happy:" but when it is here said, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, the meaning is, "This is the ground of his blessedness: this is that fundamental privilege from which all the other ingredients of his blessedness flow." In particular, we are here instructed,
I. Concerning the nature of the pardon of sin. This is that which we all need and are undone without; we are therefore concerned to be very solicitous and inquisitive about it. 1. It is the forgiving of transgression. Sin is the transgression of the law. Upon our repentance, the transgression is forgiven; that is, the obligation to punishment which we lay under, by virtue of the sentence of the law, is vacated and cancelled; it is lifted off (so some read it), that by the pardon of it we may be eased of a burden, a heavy burden, like a load on the back, that makes us stoop, or a load on the stomach, that makes us sick, or a load on the spirits, that makes us sink. The remission of sins gives rest and relief to those that were weary and heavily laden, Mt 11:28. 2. It is the covering of sin, as nakedness is covered, that it may not appear to our shame, Re 3:18. One of the first symptoms of guilt in our first parents was blushing at their own nakedness. Sin makes us loathsome in the sight of God and utterly unfit for communion with him, and, when conscience is awakened, it makes us loathsome to ourselves too; but, when sin is pardoned, it is covered with the robe of Christ's righteousness, like the coats of skins wherewith God clothed Adam and Eve (an emblem of the remission of sins), so that God is no longer displeased with us, but perfectly reconciled. They are not covered from us (no; My sin is ever before me) nor covered from God's omniscience, but from his vindictive justice. When he pardons sin he remembers it no more, he casts it behind his back, it shall be sought for and not found, and the sinner, being thus reconciled to God, begins to be reconciled to himself. 3. It is the not imputing of iniquity, not laying it to the sinner's charge, not proceeding against him for it according to the strictness of the law, not dealing with him as he deserves. The righteousness of Christ being imputed to us, and we being made the righteousness of God in him, our iniquity is not imputed, God having laid upon him the iniquity of us all and made him sin for us. Observe, Not to impute iniquity is God's act, for he is the Judge. It is God that justifies.
II. Concerning the character of those whose sins are pardoned: in whose spirit there is no guile. He does not say, "There is no guilt" (for who is there that lives and sins not?), but no guile; the pardoned sinner is one that does not dissemble with God in his professions of repentance and faith, nor in his prayers for peace or pardon, but in all these is sincere and means as he says—that does not repent with a purpose to sin again, and then sin with a purpose to repent again, as a learned interpreter glosses upon it. Those that design honestly, that are really what they profess to be, are Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile.
III. Concerning the happiness of a justified state: Blessednesses are to the man whose iniquity is forgiven, all manner of blessings, sufficient to make him completely blessed. That is taken away which incurred the curse and obstructed the blessing; and then God will pour out blessings till there be no room to receive them. The forgiveness of sin is that article of the covenant which is the reason and ground of all the rest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, Heb 8:12.
IV. Concerning the uncomfortable condition of an unhumbled sinner, that sees his guilt, but is not yet brought to make a penitent confession of it. This David describes very pathetically, from his own sad experience (Ps 32:3,4): While I kept silence my bones waxed old. Those may be said to keep silence who stifle their convictions, who, when they cannot but see the evil of sin and their danger by reason of it, ease themselves by not thinking of it and diverting their minds to something else, as Cain to the building of a city,—who cry not when God binds them,—who will not unburden their consciences by a penitent confession, nor seek for peace, as they ought, by faithful and fervent prayer,—and who choose rather to pine away in their iniquities than to take the method which God has appointed of finding rest for their souls. Let such expect that their smothered convictions will be a fire in their bones, and the wounds of sin, not opened, will fester, and grow intolerably painful. If conscience be seared, the case is so much the more dangerous; but if it be startled and awake, it will be heard. The hand of divine wrath will be felt lying heavily upon the soul, and the anguish of the spirit will affect the body; to the degree David experienced it, so that when he was young his bones waxed old; and even his silence made him roar all the day long, as if he had been under some grievous pain and distemper of body, when really the cause of all his uneasiness was the struggle he felt in his own bosom between his convictions and his corruptions. Note, He that covers his sin shall not prosper; some inward trouble is required in repentance, but there is much worse in impenitency.
V. Concerning the true and only way to peace of conscience. We are here taught to confess our sins, that they may be forgiven, to declare them, that we may be justified. This course David took: I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and no longer hid my iniquity, Ps 32:5. Note, Those that would have the comfort of the pardon of their sins must take shame to themselves by a penitent confession of them. We must confess the fact of sin, and be particular in it (Thus and thus have I done), confess the fault of sin, aggravate it, and lay a load upon ourselves for it (I have done very wickedly), confess the justice of the punishment we have been under for it (The Lord is just in all that is brought upon us), and that we deserve much worse—I am no more worthy to be called thy son. We must confess sin with shame and holy blushing, with fear and holy trembling.
VI. Concerning God's readiness to pardon sin to those who truly repent of it: "I said, I will confess (I sincerely resolved upon it, hesitated no longer, but came to a point, that I would make a free and ingenuous confession of my sins) and immediately thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, and gavest me the comfort of the pardon in my own conscience; immediately I found rest to my soul." Note, God is more ready to pardon sin, upon our repentance, than we are to repent in order to the obtaining of pardon. It was with much ado that David was here brought to confess his sins; he was put to the rack before he was brought to do it (Ps 32:3,4), he held out long, and would not surrender till it came to the last extremity; but, when he did offer to surrender, see how quickly, how easily, he obtained good terms: "I did but say, I will confess, and thou forgavest." Thus the father of the prodigal saw his returning son when he was yet afar off, and ran to meet him with the kiss that sealed his pardon. What an encouragement is this to poor penitents, and what an assurance does it give us that, if we confess our sins, we shall find God, not only faithful and just, but gracious and kind, to forgive us our sins!
VII. Concerning the good use that we are to make of the experience David had had of God's readiness to forgive his sins (Ps 32:6): For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. Note, 1. All godly people are praying people. As soon as ever Paul was converted, Behold, he prays, Ac 9:11. You may as soon find a living man without breath as a living Christian without prayer. 2. The instructions given us concerning the happiness of those whose sins are pardoned, and the easiness of obtaining the pardon, should engage and encourage us to pray, and particularly to pray, God be merciful to us sinners. For this shall every one that is well inclined be earnest with God in prayer, and come boldly to the throne of grace, with hopes to obtain mercy, Heb 4:16. 3. Those that would speed in prayer must seek the Lord in a time when he will be found. When, by his providence, he calls them to seek him, and by his Spirit stirs them up to seek him, they must go speedily to seek the Lord (Zec 8:21) and lose no time, lest death cut them off, and then it will be too late to seek him, Isa 55:6. Behold, now is the accepted time, 2Co 6:2,4. Those that are sincere and abundant in prayer will find the benefit of it when they are in trouble: Surely in the floods of great waters, which are very threatening, they shall not come nigh them, to terrify them, or create them any uneasiness, much less shall they overwhelm them. Those that have God nigh unto them in all that which they call upon him for, as all upright, penitent, praying people have, are so guarded, so advanced, that no waters—no, not great waters—no, not floods of them, can come nigh them, to hurt them. As the temptations of the wicked one touch them not (1Jo 5:18), so neither do the troubles of this evil world; these fiery darts of both kinds, drop short of them.
7-11
Devout Confidence
虔诚的信心
⁷ 你是我藏身之处；你必保佑我脱离苦难，以得救的乐歌四面环绕我。〔细拉〕
⁸ 我要教导你，指示你当行的路；我要定睛在你身上劝戒你。
⁹ 你不可像那无知的骡马，必用嚼环辔头勒住他；不然，就不能驯服。
¹⁰ 恶人必多受苦楚；惟独倚靠耶和华的，必有慈爱四面环绕他。
¹¹ 你们义人应当靠耶和华欢喜快乐；你们心里正直的人都当欢呼。
大卫在此运用他亲身体验赦罪之恩所得安慰的经历。
一、他对神说话，宣告他对神的信心与期望（诗三十二7）。既已尝过神圣恩典向悔改罪人的甘甜，他便不疑这恩向祷告圣徒的持续，也深信在这恩典中他要得着安全与喜乐。1. 安全：「你是我藏身之处」；当我凭信心投奔于你，我尽有万理由安心，自以为已脱离一切真正的恶。「你必保佑我脱离苦难」——脱离它的毒钩，并按我所宜脱离它的击打。「你必保佑我脱离」我「闭口不认罪时」所受的那种苦难（诗三十二3）。神既赦免我们的罪，若把我们交在我们自己手中，我们不久又要欠下同样多的债，再陷同样的深渊；所以，我们既得赦免的安慰，就当投奔神的恩典，蒙保守不再归回愚妄，不再因罪的迷惑而心里再刚硬。神保守他的百姓脱离患难，是借着保守他们脱离罪。2. 喜乐：「你不但要搭救我，而且要以得救的乐歌四面环绕我」；无论我向哪方看，都必看见当喜乐、当称颂神的理由；我的朋友也必在大会中环绕我，与我同唱赞美之歌：他们要把他们的得救之歌与我的相连。正如「一切虔诚人都必与我祷告」，他们也必与我一同感谢。
二、他转向世人之子。自己既已回转，便尽力「坚固弟兄」（路二十二32）：「我要教导你」——凡渴慕教导的，无论你是谁——「指示你当行的路」（诗三十二8）。在他另一首悔罪诗中，他定意：当神 restored 他拯救之乐，他便要将神的道教导犯罪的人，尽力使罪人归向神，正如安慰那已归正的人（诗五十一12、13）。所罗门一旦悔改，便立即作了传道者（传一1）。最能教导人神恩典的，是那些自己已亲历其境的人；自己蒙神教导的，也当「告诉人他为自己灵魂所行的事」（诗六十六16），以此教导他们。「我要定睛在你身上劝戒你」。有人将此应用于神的引导与指示：他借他的道指教我们，又以目定睛引导我们——借他护理中隐微的提示与转向将他的旨意暗示出来，使他的百姓能明白并依之而行，如同主人以一眼色使仆人知晓心意。基督转过身来一看彼得，便是以目引导他。但这话更宜看作大卫对受他教导之人的应许，尤其是他自己的儿女与家属：「我要劝戒你；我的眼必看顾你」（旁注如此译）；「我要尽我所能给你最好的劝戒，然后观察你是否遵行」。受教于道的人，当常在教导师的鉴察之下；属灵的向导必须是监督者。在这番把「罪得赦免之人的福」应用于己的话中，我们看见一段对罪人的话、一段对圣徒的话；这才是按着正意分解真理的道，把各人当得的分给各人。
-
这里是给罪人的警戒话，并附有好理由。（1）警戒是不可任性不受管束：「你不可像那无知的骡马」（诗三十二9）。诗人要责备自己所悔的罪时，把自己比作神面前的「畜类」——「我这样愚昧无知，在你面前如畜类一般」（诗七十三22）——所以他警告别人不要如此。我们有理智，能受理性治理，也能与自己推理——这是我们的尊荣与福分。所以让我们运用已有的才能，理性而行。骡马必须「用嚼环辔头」勒住，「免得它临近」我们害我们，或（有人如此读）使它能就近我们服事我们，「叫它顺服」（雅三3）。我们不要像它们；让我们任何时候都不要被食欲与情欲驱使，违背正理的指示和我们的真益处。罪人若肯受这些治理与决定，他们不久就要成为圣徒，在罪路上不再多走一步；既有更新之恩，就不需要约束之恩的嚼环辔头。（2）警戒的理由是：我们所劝你放弃的罪路必以忧愁告终（诗三十二10）：「恶人必多受苦楚」；这不仅会败坏他们虚浮属肉体的欢乐，使之止息，更叫他们为之付重价。罪若不悔改，必有忧愁——永远的忧愁。「我必多多加增你（的）忧愁」原是判决的一部分。「所以为你自己聪明，转离你的恶，好防范那些忧愁——那些许多的忧愁。」
-
这里是给圣徒的安慰话，也有好理由。（1）他们得着保证：只要他们肯信靠耶和华、紧紧跟随他，「慈爱必四面环绕他」（诗三十二10）——四面环绕，使他们不离弃神，因那慈爱把他们守在其中；也无真正的恶能闯入，因那慈爱把它挡在外面。（2）所以吩咐他们「靠耶和华欢喜快乐」，甚至要到他里面「欢呼」（诗三十二11）。让他们被这圣洁的喜乐激动，以致不能自禁；又以此感染别人，使他们也看见：与神相交的生活是我们在世上所能度最愉快、最舒适的生活。这正是「心里正直的人」——也只有他们——所当得、所能享的今世之福。
英文原文
Devout Confidence
⁷ Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
⁸ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
⁹ Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
¹¹ Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
David is here improving the experience he had had of the comfort of pardoning mercy.
I. He speaks to God, and professes his confidence in him and expectation from him, Ps 32:7. Having tasted the sweetness of divine grace to a penitent sinner, he cannot doubt of the continuance of that grace to a praying saint, and that in that grace he should find both safety and joy. 1. Safety: "Thou art my hiding-place; when by faith I have recourse to thee I see all the reason in the world to be easy, and to think myself out of the reach of any real evil. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble, from the sting of it, and from the strokes of it as far as is good for me. Thou shalt preserve me from such trouble as I was in while I kept silence," Ps 32:3. When God has pardoned our sins, if he leaves us to ourselves, we shall soon run as far in debt again as ever and plunge ourselves again into the same gulf; and therefore, when we have received the comfort of our remission, we must fly to the grace of God to be preserved from returning to folly again, and having our hearts again hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. God keeps his people from trouble by keeping them from sin. 2. Joy: "Thou shalt not only deliver me, but compass me about with songs of deliverance; which way soever I look I shall see occasion to rejoice and to praise God; and my friends also shall compass me about in the great congregation, to join with me in songs of praise: they shall join their songs of deliverance with mine. As every one that is godly shall pray with me, so they shall give thanks with me."
II. He turns his speech to the children of men. Being himself converted, he does what he can to strengthen his brethren (Lu 22:32): I will instruct thee, whoever thou art that desirest instruction, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go, Ps 32:8. This, in another of his penitential psalms, he resolves that when God should have restored to him the joy of his salvation he would teach transgressors his ways, and do what he could to convert sinners to God, as well as to comfort those that were converted, Ps 51:12,13. When Solomon became a penitent he immediately became a preacher, Ec 1:1. Those are best able to teach others the grace of God who have themselves had the experience of it: and those who are themselves taught of God ought to tell others what he has done for their souls (Ps 66:16) and so teach them. I will guide thee with my eye. Some apply this to God's conduct and direction. He teaches us by his word and guides us with his eye, by the secret intimations of his will in the hints and turns of Providence, which he enables his people to understand and take direction from, as a master makes a servant know his mind by a wink of his eye. When Christ turned and looked upon Peter he guided him with his eye. But it is rather to be taken as David's promise to those who sat under his instruction, his own children and family especially: "I will counsel thee; my eye shall be upon thee" (so the margin reads it); "I will give thee the best counsel I can and then observe whether thou takest it or no." Those that are taught in the word should be under the constant inspection of those that teach them; spiritual guides must be overseers. In this application of the foregoing doctrine concerning the blessedness of those whose sins are pardoned we have a word to sinners and a word to saints; and this is rightly dividing the word of truth and giving to each their portion.
1. Here is a word of caution to sinners, and a good reason is given for it. (1.) The caution is, not to be unruly and ungovernable: Be you not as the horse and the mule, which have no understanding, Ps 32:9. When the psalmist would reproach himself for the sins he repented of he compared himself to a beast before God (so foolish have I been and ignorant, Ps 73:22) and therefore warns others not to be so. It is our honour and happiness that we have understanding, that we are capable of being governed by reason and of reasoning with ourselves. Let us therefore use the faculties we have, and act rationally. The horse and mule must be managed with bit and bridle, lest they come near us, to do us a mischief, or (as some read it) that they may come near to us, to do us service, that they may obey us, Jam 3:3. Let us not be like them; let us not be hurried by appetite and passion, at any time, to go contrary to the dictate of right reason and to our true interest. If sinners would be governed and determined by these, they would soon become saints and would not go a step further in their sinful courses; where there is renewing grace there is no need of the bit and bridle of restraining grace. (2.) The reason for this caution is because the way of sin which we would persuade you to forsake will certainly end in sorrow (Ps 32:10): Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, which will not only spoil their vain and carnal mirth, and put an end to it, but will make them pay dearly for it. Sin will have sorrow, if not repented of, everlasting sorrow. It was part of the sentence, I will greatly multiply thy sorrows. "Be wise for yourselves therefore, and turn from your wickedness, that you may prevent those sorrows, those many sorrows."
2. Here is a word of comfort to saints, and a good reason is given for that too. (1.) They are assured that if they will but trust in the Lord, and keep closely to him, mercy shall compass them about on every side (Ps 32:10), so that they shall not depart from God, for that mercy shall keep them in, nor shall any real evil break in upon them, for that mercy shall keep it out. (2.) They are therefore commanded to be glad in the Lord, and to rejoice in him, to such a degree as even to shout for joy, Ps 32:11. Let them be so transported with this holy joy as not to be able to contain themselves; and let them affect others with it, that they also may see that a life of communion with God is the most pleasant and comfortable life we can live in this world. This is that present bliss which the upright in heart, and they are only, are entitled to and qualified for.
本篇虽不如我们至今所遇的许多诗篇那样论及基督,却仍含许多福音。使徒告诉我们,大卫在本篇描述「那在神面前不算为有罪的人,是有福的」(罗4:6)。本篇结构如下:一、福音的恩——罪的赦免(诗32:1,2)、神的保护(诗32:7)、神的引导(诗32:8);二、福音的本分——认罪(诗32:3-5)、祷告(诗32:6)、自约自守(诗32:9,10)、因神喜乐(诗32:11)。得这些特权之道,在于尽这些本分——这是我们唱这首诗时所当思念的:思前者得安慰,思后者得激励。格老修以为本篇是为赎罪日之用而作。