Psalm 32

Authorship

This Psalm was authored by David.

Outline

(This began as Wendland's Expository Outline, but may be adapted.)

I. Confirmation. (1-2)

A. You are blessed if:

1. Your transgression is forgiven.

2. Your sin is covered.

3. Iniquity is not imputed to you.

4. There is no guile in your spirit.

II. Confession. (3-5)

A. When I kept silent about my sin, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

B. Day and night, Your hand was heavy upon me.

C. My moisture turned into the drought of summer.

D. I acknowledged my sin:

1. I did not hide my iniquity.

2. I confessed my transgressions.

3. You forgave my sin.

III. Counsel to the godly. (6)

A. Pray in a time when God can be found.

B. The great waters shall not come nigh you.

IV. Contentment. (7-11)

A. You are my hiding place.

B. You preserve me in trouble.

C. You compass me with songs of deliverance.

D. You instruct and teach me the way I should go.

E. You guide me with Your eye.

V. Correction (9). Don’t be like the horse or mule who must be directed with a bit and bridle.

VI. Conclusion. (10-11)

A. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked.

B. He that trusts the Lord will be compassed with mercy.

C. Be glad in the Lord and shout for joy if you are upright in heart.

Lineation

Proposed lineation	Line	Supporting evidence	Conflicting evidence
לְדָוִ֗ד מַ֫שְׂכִּ֥יל	ss	Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
אַשְׁרֵ֥י נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע	v. 1a	s Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	C
כְּס֣וּי חֲטָאָֽה׃	v. 1b	s Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָ֗ם לֹ֤א יַחְשֹׁ֬ב יְהוָ֣ה ל֣וֹ עָוֺ֑ן	v. 2a	a Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
וְאֵ֖ין בְּרוּח֣וֹ רְמִיָּֽה׃	v. 2b	s Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי בָּל֣וּ עֲצָמָ֑י	v. 3a	a P Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin	Amt*
בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃	v. 3b	s Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt*
כִּ֤י׀ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַיְלָה֮ תִּכְבַּ֥ד עָלַ֗י יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ	v. 4a	oy Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְשַׁדִּ֑י בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ סֶֽלָה׃	v. 4b	s Alp* Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
חַטָּאתִ֨י אוֹדִ֪יעֲךָ֡	v. 5a	Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
וַעֲוֺ֘נִ֤י לֹֽא־כִסִּ֗יתִי	v. 5b	r Alp Ber Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
אָמַ֗רְתִּי אוֹדֶ֤ה עֲלֵ֣י פְ֭שָׁעַי לַיהוָ֑ה	v. 5c	a Ber Or2373* Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
וְאַתָּ֨ה נָ֘שָׂ֤אתָ עֲוֺ֖ן חַטָּאתִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃	v. 5d	Alp* Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
עַל־זֹ֡את יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל כָּל־חָסִ֨יד׀ אֵלֶיךָ֮ לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א	v. 6a	oy Alp* Or2373* Vat-Sin Amt	Alp Or2373
רַ֗ק לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים	v. 6b	a Alp Or2373	Vat-Sin Amt*
אֵ֝לָ֗יו לֹ֣א יַגִּֽיעוּ׃	v. 6c	s Alp Or2373 Vat-Sin* Amt*
אַתָּ֤ה׀ סֵ֥תֶר לִי֮ מִצַּ֪ר תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי	v. 7a	oy Alp Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
רָנֵּ֥י פַלֵּ֑ט תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃	v. 7b	s Alp* Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨׀ וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗ בְּדֶֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ תֵלֵ֑ךְ	v. 8a	a Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי׃	v. 8b	s Or2373 Alp* Vat-Sin Amt
אַל־תִּֽהְי֤וּ׀ כְּס֥וּס כְּפֶרֶד֮ אֵ֤ין הָ֫בִ֥ין	v. 9a	oy Alp* Or2373* Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
בְּמֶֽתֶג־וָרֶ֣סֶן עֶדְי֣וֹ לִבְל֑וֹם	v. 9b	a Alp Vat-Sin	Or2373 Amt
בַּ֝֗ל קְרֹ֣ב אֵלֶֽיךָ׃	v. 9c	s Ber* Or2373* Alp Vat-Sin Amt*
רַבִּ֥ים מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע	v. 10a	oy Alp Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt
וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה חֶ֝֗סֶד יְסוֹבְבֶֽנּוּ׃	v. 10b	s Alp* Ber* Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt	Alp
שִׂמְח֬וּ בַֽיהוָ֣ה וְ֭גִילוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים	v. 11a	a Or2373 Vat-Sin	Amt
וְ֝הַרְנִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃	v. 11b	s Alp Ber* Or2373 Vat-Sin Amt*

• Only vv. 1-5 are fully preserved in the Berlin codex. Portions of vv. 10a and 11a are also preserved.

Textual Criticism

The following is from Barthélemy's Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament volume on the Psalms. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ps 32,4A נֶהְפַּךְ {B} MT, α᾽, σ᾽, ο᾽, θ᾽, ε᾽, ς᾽, S, T // facil-styl: G --> Hebr clav נהפכתי

Ps 32,4B לְשַׁדִּי {C} MT, T // exeg: G, α', σ', ε', θ' / lic: Hebr, S, ς'

Ps 32,4C בְחַרְבֹנֵי {B} MT, G, α', ε', θ', Hebr // facil-styl: σ', ς', T clav כחרבני / lic: S

Ps 32,5 סֶלָה {A}

Ps 32,6A מְצֹא רַק {C} MT // exeg: α', σ', T, G, S, σ', ε', Hebr

Ps 32,6B אֵלָיו {A}

Ps 32,7 רָנֵּי {C} MT, εβρ, S, T //err-voc: G, α', σ', ε', ς', Hebr clav רָנִּי