Psalm 32--Exegetical Thoughts

Custom Typography of Psalm 32 by MulliganStudio

Though characterized by Knowles as a psalm of individual thanksgiving (132), Psalm 32 shares so much in common with Psalm 1 that I think it would be fair to also classify it as a torah psalm, or a psalm of instruction.

First of all, it's introductory words, "Happy are those..." echo those first words of the psalter. This is the first time we have seen this formula for the beatitude since Psalm 1, though we will see it again in Psalms 41, 112, 119, 127, and 128. Certainly this introduction indicates that there is something worth knowing about what's in this psalm. The simple fact that it starts with a beatitude leads us to believe that what follows might just show us how to attain that happiness ourselves.

Additionally, Psalm 32 echoes other key words of Psalm 1, especially torah (translated as "instruct" in vs. 8), "the way" (vs. 8), "wicked" (vs. 10), and "righteous" (vs. 11.) For other key word connections, see McCann 110.

In my earlier treatment of Psalm 1, I interpreted the ending of the path of the wicked not as a death, but as a way to acknowledge the grace of God's instruction--that it is always available to us, and we can always turn toward it from our paths of unrighteousness. As humans, we're just going to follow some wicked paths. The trick of those blessed righteous is to find our way back to the path of the faithful by looking for God's instruction, even in the midst of our wickedness.

And this is precisely the move that Psalm 32 makes. The first verse lets us know that even though one is "happy" or "blessed," it does not mean that s/he is without blemish. There will be transgression. So, what distinguishes the righteous from the wicked, then? Knowles says that it is the experience of God's forgiveness that plucks us from paths of wickedness to paths of righteousness again.

Psalm 32 emphasizes the human agency in forgiveness. Verses 3-4 explore the very real option to keep silent about our sin. In the psalm, it results in physical diminished and feelings of torment. Indeed, silence in the psalms typically means death (see Ps. 115:17, Ps. 94:17). Being unable to praise or to even communicate with God finds the psalmist in a sorry state.

But in verse 5, the psalmist brings the sin before the Lord. Knowles points out that the psalm itself does not reveal the content of the confession, but this serves to highlight the Lord's immediate forgiveness, regardless of the content of the confession. The mere movement to communication and honesty with God elicits God's gracious response (133). Verses 6-7 function as personal witness, encouraging others to turn to God in their times of difficulty (McCann 110). The circumstances that our human imperfection creates are dire, but by turning to God, a safe place is found in the midst of disaster.

Verses 8-11 most closely resemble Psalm 1, with the clear focus on torah or instruction in "the way." Again, instruction is offered, but not forced. The psalmist states that though it may not be the best option to forego torah, it is still an option (vs. 9). That said, by confessing to God, humans display their trust in God. And trusting in God also helps us to see the hesed that is always available to us. In these ways, Psalm 32 offers a fuller picture of the instruction promised in Psalm 1, and shows us just how to locate "the way" again when we have wandered from the path of the righteous.

One instructional moment for me in Psalm 32 is the use of different words for sin in verses 1-2. Limburg points out that these words represent major themes in the OT (103). I think it's important to recognize that there are many ways to wander from the path of the righteous, and that in confession, it also helps to understand how one has strayed. The four words for sin are:

• transgression--a rebellion
• sin--missing the target
• iniquity--being bent, twisted, or crooked
• deceit--treacherous or unreliable (Limberg 103)

So often, we think about sin in a singular sense, as if there is only one way to stray from God's intentions for the world. Psalm 32 helps us to understand that there are many ways to get off-track, with some of them requiring less conscious action than we might like to believe.

Psalm 32 draws attention to the fact that we will slip up, we will wander from the path of the righteous. We're only human. But it also draws attention to the fact that God is always available to hear our cries of uncertainty, of apology, of confusion during these times of wandering. And it is from voicing these cries that we are also able to find our voices again to be able to"shout for joy" (vs. 11).