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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
繁體中文
誰為有福
大衛的訓誨詩。
¹ 得赦免其過、遮蓋其罪的，這人是有福的！ ² 凡心裏沒有詭詐、耶和華不算為有罪的，這人是有福的！ ³ 我閉口不認罪的時候，因終日唉哼而骨頭枯乾。 ⁴ 黑白日夜，你的手在我身上沉重；我的精力耗盡，如同夏天的乾旱。（細拉） ⁵ 我向你陳明我的罪，不隱瞞我的惡。我說：我要向耶和華承認我的過犯；你就赦免我的罪惡。（細拉） ⁶ 為此，凡虔誠人都當趁你可尋找的時候禱告你；大水泛溢的時候，必不能到他那裏。
這篇詩題為訓誨詩（Maschil），有人認為這不過是它所配曲調的名稱，是要照著唱的。但另有人認為這字有含義；我們的旁註讀作「大衛賜教訓的詩」，而我們最需要受教導的，莫過於真正福樂的性質——它由甚麼構成、以及通到它的路——我們當作甚麼才能成為有福。這些經文在幾方麵給我們教訓。總的來說，我們在此受教：我們的福樂在於神的恩寵，不在於這世界的財富——在於屬靈的福分，不在於這世界的好處。當大衛說（詩 1:1）「不從惡人的計謀……這人便為有福」，又（詩 119:1）「行為完全、遵行耶和華律法的，這人便為有福」，意思是：「這是有福之人的特徵；沒有這特徵的人不能指望得福。」但此處說*「得赦免其過……遮蓋其罪的，這人是有福的」*，意思是：「這是他福樂的根基：這是他一切福樂的其他成分所從流出的基本特權。」具體而言，我們在此受教，
一、關於罪得赦免的性質。這是我們眾人所需要、沒有便滅亡的；所以我們當十分懇切地查問它。1. 這是赦免過犯。罪就是違背律法。我們一悔改，過犯便蒙赦免；就是說，我們因律法的判決所負的、當受刑罰的義務，便被撤銷、被塗抹；這是「被舉起」（有人如此讀），好使我們藉著赦免得卸一個重擔——一個沉重的重擔，如同背上的擔子使我們彎腰，如同胃中的擔子使我們生病，又如靈裏的擔子使我們下沉。罪的赦免將安息與舒解賜給那些*「勞苦擔重擔的人」（太 11:28）。2. 這是遮蓋罪，如同遮蓋赤身，使之不顯露為羞恥（啟 3:18）。我們始祖犯罪之後最初的症狀之一，就是為自己的赤身感覺羞慚。罪使我們在神眼中成為可憎，完全不適於與他相交；當良心醒覺之時，它也使我們在自己眼中成為可憎；但罪一得赦，便被基督的義袍所遮蓋，如同神用以給亞當夏娃穿上的皮衣（這是罪得赦免的象徵），於是神不再向我們發怒，而是完全與我們和好。罪不是從我們眼前被遮蓋（不；「我的罪常在我麵前」），也不是從神的全知被遮蓋，而是從他報應的公義被遮蓋。他赦免罪之時，便「不再記念」、「將它丟在背後」、「它必被尋找卻尋不見」；罪人既如此與神和好，便開始與自己和好。3. 這是不算為有罪——不把罪歸在罪人賬上，不按律法的嚴格向他追討，不按他所當得的對待他。基督的義既歸給我們、我們既在他裏麵成為「神的義」，我們的罪便不被算為有罪，因為神「使我們眾人的罪孽都歸在他身上」，又「使那無罪的，替我們成為罪」。請留意：不算為有罪乃是神的作為，因為他是審判官。「稱人為義的乃是神。」*
二、關於那些罪得赦免之人的特徵：「凡心裏沒有詭詐。」他沒有說：「沒有罪咎」（因為誰活著能不犯罪呢？），而是說沒有詭詐；蒙赦免的罪人，是在他悔改與信心的認信中不向神裝假的人，在他求平安或求赦免的禱告中也不裝假，而是在這一切中真誠、所言即所意——他不存著再犯罪的決心而悔改、又不存著再悔改的決心而犯罪（一位博學的解經家如此解）。那些存心正直、真實無偽地作自己所宣稱之人的，乃是真以色列人，在他裏頭沒有詭詐。
三、關於稱義狀態的福樂：「得赦免其過……這人是有福的」——原文作「福樂歸於那人」，各樣的福分，足以使他完全有福。那招致咒詛、阻攔祝福的既被除去，神便要傾福直到無處可容。罪的赦免乃是聖約中作為其餘一切的理由與根基的那一條。「因為我要寬恕他們的不義」（來 8:12）。
四、關於一個未自卑的罪人——他看見自己的罪咎，卻還未被帶到為它作悔改的認罪——的不安景況。這是大衛從自己痛苦的經歷中十分動人地描述的（詩 32:3、4）：「我閉口不認罪的時候，因終日唉哼而骨頭枯乾。」那些壓製自己定罪之心的人，可說是閉口不認罪的——他們雖不能不看見罪的邪惡和因罪而來的危險，卻以不去想它、把心思轉向別處來舒解自己，如同該隱轉去建造城池；他們「被神捆綁仍不呼求」；他們不肯藉著悔改的認罪卸下良心的重擔，也不照著所當行的藉著信實而懇切的禱告尋求平安；他們寧可在自己的罪中消磨，也不肯走神所指定為靈魂尋得安息之法。這樣的人當預料，他們被壓製的定罪之感要成為骨中的火，那未開的罪傷要潰爛、變得忍無可忍地痛苦。良心若被烙慣了，景況便更為危險；但它若被驚動而醒來，它必被聽見。神怒的手必重重地壓在靈魂之上，靈中的痛苦也要影響身體——達到大衛所經歷的程度，以致他年紀尚輕，骨頭卻已枯乾；甚至他的沉默也使他終日唉哼，如同他患了某種劇痛的身體疾病一般；其實他一切不安的因由，全在於他胸中所感受到的——他的定罪之感與他的敗壞之間的掙紮。請注意：「遮掩自己罪過的，必不亨通」；悔改中需要某種內裏的煩擾，但不悔改中的煩擾更為可怕。
五、關於得著良心平安的真實而惟一的路。我們在此受教要承認自己的罪，好使它們得赦免；要陳明它們，好使我們得稱為義。大衛正是如此行：「我向你陳明我的罪」，不再*「隱瞞我的惡」（詩 32:5）。請注意：那些要得著罪得赦免之安慰的人，必須藉著悔改的認罪自己取辱。我們必須承認罪的事實，並要具體（「我如此如此行了」）；承認罪的過錯，加以加重，並為之將重擔加在自己身上（「我行了極惡的事」）；承認我們因罪所受刑罰的公義（「耶和華在我們所遭的事上都是公義的」），並且我們當受更重的——「我不配稱為你的兒子」*。我們必須以羞愧和聖潔的臉紅、以恐懼和聖潔的戰兢承認罪。
六、關於神樂意赦免那些真心悔改之人的罪：「我說：我要承認」（我真誠地決定如此行，不再猶豫，而是定意要自由而坦白地承認我的罪），你便「赦免我的罪惡」——又將赦免的安慰賜在我自己良心中；我立即尋得靈魂的安息。請注意：神樂意在我們悔改之時赦免我們的罪，過於我們為要得著赦免而悔改。大衛在此好不容易才被帶到承認自己的罪；他被帶到如此行之前受了折磨（詩 32:3、4），他堅持了很久，直到最後關頭才肯投降；但當他真的開始投降，看哪他何等迅速、何等輕易地得了好條件：「我不過說：我要承認，你便赦免了。」浪子的父親正是如此，看見兒子「還遠的時候」，就跑去迎接他，以親嘴印證他的赦免。這對可憐的悔罪者是何等的鼓勵，又向我們保證：「我們若認自己的罪」，我們必發現神不僅*「信實公義」，更是恩慈仁愛，「必要赦免我們的罪」*！
七、關於我們當從大衛所經歷神樂意赦免他罪的事上得著的善用（詩 32:6）：「為此，凡虔誠人都當……禱告你。」請注意：1. 一切敬虔人都是禱告的人。保羅一悔改，「看哪，他在禱告」（徒 9:11）。你要找一個活著卻不呼吸的人，與找一個活著卻不禱告的基督徒，同樣困難。2. 我們所受關於罪得赦免之人福樂的教訓、以及得著赦免之容易的教訓，當吸引並鼓勵我們禱告，特別是禱告：「神啊，開恩可憐我們這些罪人。」為此，每一個心存善意的人當在禱告中向神懇切，並「坦然無懼地來到施恩的寶座前」，為要*「得憐恤」（來 4:16）。3. 那些要在禱告中得著應允的人，必須在「你可尋找的時候」尋求主。當神藉他的護理呼召他們尋求他、又藉他的聖靈激動他們尋求他之時，他們必須「快快尋求耶和華」（亞 8:21），不可耽延，免得死亡將他們剪除，那時再尋求他便太晚了（賽 55:6）。「看哪，現在正是悅納的時候」（林後 6:2）。那些真誠而豐富地禱告的人，在他們遭遇患難之時必發現其中的益處：「大水泛溢的時候」——這是十分可畏的——「必不能到他那裏」——不能恐嚇他們、不能給他們造成任何不安，更不能淹沒他們。那些有神「在他們一切所求的事上親近他們」的人——一切正直、悔改、禱告的人都有這福——是如此被護衛、如此被高舉，以致沒有任何水——不，連大水也不能——不，連洪濤也不能——臨到他們身上傷害他們。正如「那惡者也就無法害他們」*（約壹 5:18），這邪惡世界的患難也是如此；這兩種火箭都落在他們以先。
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
繁體中文
敬虔的信靠
⁷ 你是我藏身之處；你必保佑我脫離苦難，以得救的樂歌四面環繞我。（細拉）
⁸ 我要教導你，指示你當行的路；我要定睛在你身上勸戒你。
⁹ 你不可像那無知的騾馬，必用嚼環轡頭勒住牠；不然，就不能馴服。
¹⁰ 惡人必多受苦楚；惟獨倚靠耶和華的，必有慈愛四面環繞他。
¹¹ 你們義人應當靠耶和華歡喜快樂；你們心裡正直的人都當歡呼。
大衛在此應用他親身經歷過的、蒙赦免之恩的安慰。
一、 他向神說話，表明他對神的信靠和期望（詩 32:7）。他既已嘗過神恩待悔罪者的甘甜，就不能懷疑這恩典會繼續賜予那祈求的聖徒，並且在這恩典中他必找著安全與喜樂。1. 安全：「你是我藏身之處；我憑信心投靠你時，就看出滿有理由可以坦然無懼，並視自己已脫離任何真正禍患的範圍。你必保佑我脫離苦難，脫離苦難的毒刺，也脫離苦難的打擊——只要那對我是好的。你必保佑我脫離我閉口不認罪時所陷的那種苦難」（詩 32:3）。神既赦免了我們的罪，若把我們撇下任憑自己，我們很快又會欠下同樣多的罪債，再次陷入同樣的深淵；因此，當我們領受了赦免的安慰之後，必須投靠神的恩典，以求保守自己不再歸回愚妄，不再因罪的欺騙使心重新剛硬。神保守他的子民免患難，乃是借著保守他們不犯罪。2. 喜樂：「你不僅要搭救我，更要以得救的樂歌四面環繞我；無論我向何處看，都必看見當喜樂、當稱頌神的緣由；我的朋友也必在大會中環繞我，與我同唱讚美之歌：他們要將他們得救的樂歌與我的相合。正如凡敬虔人都必與我一同禱告，他們也必與我一同感恩。」
二、 他轉向世人。他自己既已歸正，便盡力堅固他的弟兄（路 22:32）：我要教導你——凡渴望受教的人，指示你當行的路（詩 32:8）。在他的另一篇悔罪詩中，他決意當神將他拯救的喜樂恢復之後，便將神的道教導犯罪的人，盡力使罪人歸向神，並安慰那已歸正的人（詩 51:12,13）。所羅門一成為悔罪者，便立即成了傳道者（傳 1:1）。那些自己經歷過神恩典的人，最能將神的恩典教導別人；而那些自己受神教導的人，當向別人述說他為他們的靈魂作了何等的事（詩 66:16），藉此教導他們。*我要定睛在你身上勸戒你。*有人將此應用於神的引導和指引。神借他的話教導我們，又用他的眼引導我們——借他在護理的提示與轉折中隱秘地表明他的旨意，使他的子民能明白並從中得著指引，正如主人以一眼神色使僕人知道他的心意。當基督轉過身來看彼得時，他就是用眼引導他。但這話更當看作大衛對那受他教導之人——尤其是他自己的兒女和家人——的應許：「我要勸戒你；我的眼必定在你身上」（旁註如此讀）；「我要盡所能給你最好的勸戒，然後留意你是否聽從。」那些在道中受教的人，應當常在那些教導他們之人的察看之下；屬靈的引導者必須是監督者。在這段關於「罪得赦免之人的福分」之教訓的應用中，我們看見一句對罪人說的話，和一句對聖徒說的話；這才是正確地分解真理的道，把各人當得的分給各人。
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這裡有對罪人的警告，並附有正當的理由。(1) 警告是不可放肆不受管束：你不可像那無知的騾馬（詩 32:9）。詩人為自己所悔改的罪責備自己時，把自己比作神面前的畜類（我這樣愚昧無知，在你面前如畜類一般，詩 73:22），因此也警告別人不可如此。我們的尊貴與幸福在於我們有理解力，能受理性管治，能與自己理論。所以我們當使用我們既有的官能，按理而行。馬與騾子必須用嚼環轡頭勒住，免得牠們靠近我們傷害我們，或（有人如此讀）為要使牠們靠近我們服事我們，使牠們順服我們（雅 3:3）。我們不要像牠們一樣；我們不可在任何時候被食欲和情欲驅使，違背正確理性的指示和我們真正的利益而行。罪人若肯被這些管治定奪，很快就要成為聖徒，不再在罪惡的道路上向前多走一步；哪裡有更新的恩典，那裡就不需要那約束之恩的嚼環轡頭。(2) 這警告的理由是因為我們勸你放棄的那條罪路必以憂愁告終（詩 32:10）：惡人必多受苦楚，這苦楚不僅要破壞他們虛妄屬肉的歡笑，使之終結，還要使他們為此付出沉重代價。罪若不悔改，必有憂愁跟隨，甚至是永遠的憂愁。這原是判決的一部分：我必多多加增你痛苦。「所以你們當為自己有智慧，轉離你們的惡行，好叫你們防止那些憂愁，那許多的憂愁。」
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這裡有對聖徒的安慰，也附有正當的理由。(1) 他們得著保證：只要他們肯倚靠耶和華，緊緊跟隨他，慈愛必四面環繞他們（詩 32:10），使他們不致偏離神——因那慈愛要保守他們在內；也不容任何真正的禍患闖入——因那慈愛要把它擋在外面。(2) 因此他們受命靠耶和華歡喜，在他裡面快樂，甚至歡呼（詩 32:11）。願他們被這聖潔的喜樂所激動，以致不能自制；又願他們以這喜樂感染別人，使別人也看見：與神相交的生活，是我們在這世上所能過的最愉快、最舒適的生活。這就是那現世的福分，唯有心裡正直的人才有資格得著、才配得享受。
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.
本篇詩篇雖然沒有像我們迄今所遇見的許多詩篇那樣論及基督，卻仍蘊含豐富的福音信息。使徒告訴我們，大衛在本篇中描述了「主不算為有罪的，這人有福了」之福（羅 4:6）。本篇內容可概述為：一、論福音的恩典——罪得赦免（詩 32:1-2）、蒙神保護（詩 32:7）、得神引導（詩 32:8）。二、論福音的本分——承認罪（詩 32:3-5）、禱告（詩 32:6）、好好管束自己（詩 32:9-10），以及因神歡喜（詩 32:11）。得著這些特權的途徑，在於謹守盡這些本分；我們歌唱本篇時，當思想這些——前者為使我們得安慰，後者為激發我們。格老秀斯（Grotius）認為本篇是為贖罪日而作的。