This is a psalm of David, is a psalm of repentance, very similar to the one he wrote in Psalm 51. The purpose of this psalm appears to demonstrate the importance of repentance and then confessing our sins to God, in order that we rejoice afterwards.
Although the headings aren’t inspired by God, they are important because they give us some understanding of the Psalm and they help us to see why it was written. The headings usually tell us four things.
1. Who wrote them, probably wrote them, or possibly wrote them.
2. Information about the historical background to the Psalm. Why it was written.
3. They tell us of the tune the Psalm was written to.
4. How it was used.
This psalm tells us it’s a psalm of David, a ‘maskil’. No one really knows what the word maskil means, some believe it’s a musical term or a literary term. The word is used thirteen times throughout the Psalms, Psalm 32 / Psalm 42 / Psalm 44 / Psalm 45 / Psalm 52 / Psalm 53 / Psalm 54 / Psalm 55 / Psalm 74 / Psalm 78 / Psalm 88 / Psalm 89 / Psalm 142. The word is also used in Amos 5:13.
David recognises the blessings of life, Psalm 1, he acknowledges he is a transgressor whose sins have been forgiven, Psalm 32:1. We don’t know what transgression David is speaking about, but it could be in reference to the sin he committed at Ziklag or with the sin he committed with Bathsheba and Uriah, 1 Samuel 27 / 1 Samuel 29-30 / 2 Samuel 11.
When God forgives our sins it’s always a time of rejoicing, Psalm 32:2 / Acts 8:39 / Acts 16:34. As we go through this psalm you will notice that sin is described in four ways.
1. Transgression, Psalm 32:1 / Psalm 32:5, which means breaking the law.
The word, ‘transgressions’ is the strongest Hebrew word used so sin, as it implies deliberately rebelling against God’s laws, but God can even forgive this act of rebellion, Genesis 50:17 / Numbers 14:19 / Job 7:21 / Psalm 85:2 / Isaiah 2:9.
2. Sin, Psalm 32:1 / Psalm 32:2 / Psalm 32:5 / Psalm 32:6 / Psalm 32:11, which means missing the mark, Romans 3:23.
3. Iniquity, Psalm 32:5, which is gross wickedness.
4. Deceit, Psalm 32:2, which is hypocrisy.
David tells us that all these sins have been forgiven, covered, and not counted against them, Psalm 32:2 / Romans 4:7-8. When anyone repents and confesses their sin to God, they can go on to enjoy God’s grace, 1 John 1:8-10. When we do those things then God will see us as innocent, Romans 1:17 / Romans 3:24 / Romans 4:5 / Romans 5:1 / Romans 8:1.
Before David confessed his sins to God, that is, when he kept silent about them, Psalm 32:3, the effects of the guilt were felt in the inner parts of his being, Psalm 32:3 / Psalm 22:1. He was in anguish, he was in distress, he had little strength and what little strength he did have was disappearing slowly.
He felt the hand of God pressings upon him, Psalm 32:4, it weighed him down, Job 13:21 / Psalm 39:10. This was the effect of sin in David’s life before he was forced to repent and confess his sin before God, 2 Samuel 12:7-14 / Psalm 51.
You may notice at the end of verse four, some translations have the word, ‘selah’, although no one really knows what this word means, it’s likely it means to pause. It’s a time to stop and reflect upon what has just been said. We can almost imagine David pausing for a breath as he contemplates his guilt before God and God’s forgiveness.
David is ready to be restored to God but he only got relief from his guilt after he acknowledged and confessed his sin to Him, Psalm 32:5 / 1 Timothy 1:16 / 1 John 1:9.
It’s only those who are truly faithful and those who are truly repentant who will find God, Psalm 32:6 / Jeremiah 29:13 / 1 Corinthians 10:13. God doesn’t hide Himself from sinners, it is those who refuse to repent that hide themselves from God, Hebrews 12:14.
God is our hiding place, Psalm 32:6, that is, He is our shelter, and we’re in His presence, Psalm 9:9 / Psalm 27:5 / Psalm 31:20. He protects us and reminds us in the song of what he has done for us, Psalm 32:7.
After learning the process in which a person can be forgiven for their sins, that is, repentance and confession, David says he will teach others what he has learned, Psalm 32:8, in order that they too may receive forgiveness, Psalm 51:12-13. Whenever anyone repents and confesses their sins to God, this is symbolic of submitting themselves to God and His ways, Psalm 33:18 / Psalm 34:15.
When David thought about his sin and the effect it was having on his life before he repented and confessed his sins to God, he says he was like a stubborn horse or mule, that could only be guided through pain or difficulty, Psalm 32:9, hence why, God allowed certain hardships to come into his life, 1 Samuel 30 / 2 Samuel 12. Like a stubborn horse or mule, Psalm 32:9, David refused to come near to God until he went through difficult times.
The wicked do face many woes, Psalm 32:10 / Proverbs 13:15, the wicked have many sorrows, heartbreaks, failures, and remorse’s. It appears that David is looking at the results of sin from his own life and wants to teach others not to make the same mistake, Psalm 51:13.
When a person repents and confesses their sins to God, they are glad they did, Psalm 32:10-11. It’s those people who stubbornly refuse to repent and confess their sins, that really have no joy and no peace, Ecclesiastes 2:26 / Ecclesiastes 8:15 / Ecclesiastes 9:7 / Philippians 4:4.
When we repent and confess our sins, this signifies that we disobeyed God but we now want to please Him. The results of a repentant and confessing heart are always gladness, rejoicing and joy, Psalm 32:11.
It’s very easy to come away from this psalm thinking that all we to do to be saved is repent and confess our sins to God but we must remember we’re dealing with the Old Testament here. The Book of Acts in the New Testament history book about the early church and there are nine examples of conversion given us in this book.
When we examine each conversion we will soon discover that repentance and confession aren’t enough to have our sins forgiven, we must also be baptised, Acts 2:37-38 / Acts 8:5-12 / Acts 8:26-39 / Acts 9:18 / Acts 10:48 / Acts 16:15 / Acts 16:31-33 / Acts 19:5.
After a person has been baptised for the forgiveness of their sins, Mark 16:16 / Acts 2:28, that’s the point at which they are saved. However when Christians sin, and they will, they follow the instructions of the apostle John, they will confess their sins to God for forgiveness and they will confess their sins to each other, 1 John 1:9 / James 5:16.
These were specific instructions given to Christians, not to non-Christians. For the Christian, praying for his or her forgiveness is appropriate and scriptural.