Psa 32:8-9 | KingComments | STEP | After the forgiveness follows in the promise of God that He will instruct and teach His own in the way they should go. The lessons we learn in this psalm apply to all believers who have gone the way of confession of sin, who have taken these wise lessons to heart. God does not send the believer on the way with a road map and then withdraw. He goes with him and “instructs” and ‘‘teaches’’ him in that way with His wisdom. We receive this instruction and teaching in the New Testament regarding our way as members of the church ( ; ). It is not a way of your own choosing, but “the way which you should go”. We, New Testament believers, know that this way was prepared beforehand by God, that we would walk therein ( ). God determines the way. For going that way He gives general instruction and general teaching, but He also gives “counsel” regarding practical situations. Therefore, we must always ask Him for advice when choices must be made. We will do so if we live in ‘eye contact’ with Him. After all, His eye is upon us. That means that the Lord is watchful, that He is watching over us and caring for us. The comparison has been made with training a hunting dog. The nature of the dog is to chase after prey as soon as it sees it. The dog’s training is not complete until he first looks at the master before pursuing prey. Having eye contact with the Master is the mark of a mature believer (cf. ; ). A word of exhortation follows. It may be that we do not let God’s eye guide us because we do not live in eye contact with Him. Then He must treat us as wayward animals like a horse and a mule ( ). Both animals need bit and bridle to be restrained so that they go the way the driver wants (cf. ). The lesson is not to be stubborn like a dumb mule, but to choose to humble ourselves and confess our sins. Otherwise, like the psalmist, and like a mule, we will be disciplined until we have learned the lesson. If God must deal with us in this way, it is not the method of His preference. Yet in this we see His grace, for He thereby keeps us from going a wrong, harmful way. It is a negative form of guidance. The word ‘otherwise’ is not in the original text. The meaning is that “they”, that is the consequences of going a wrong way, “will not come near to you”, that is, cannot harm us. In , the wicked and those who trust in the LORD are contrasted. In doing so, the reader is presented with a choice. Whoever chooses the way of the wicked chooses many sorrows. He who chooses the way of trusting in the LORD will be surrounded by “lovingkindness”, which means that God’s lovingkindness is like a wall around him so that no calamity can strike him. Lovingkindness is Adonai in Hebrew. It implies that God is faithful to the covenant, that is, that in His faithfulness to the covenant He will surely grant forgiveness. The “righteous ones” are called to rejoice and be glad in the LORD ( ). If there are any on earth who have reason to do so, it is the righteous ones. These are the believers who have confessed their sins and therefore received forgiveness. The lessons they have taken to heart individually bring their hearts together so that they can now sing songs of praise to the LORD together. Because their sins have been forgiven, they have a God Who instructs them, teaches them, counsels them and guides them with His eye. They also have a living hope in the prospect of the fulfillment of God’s promises. Surely this should make the heart full of joy ( ; ). That joy must be expressed and not just cherished in the heart. A call is made to “all … who are upright in heart” to sing joyfully. These upright in heart are those with whom there is no spirit of deceit in their hearts. They have honestly and sincerely confessed their sins. Now that they have received forgiveness of sins, they are called to show their joy through songs of praise. It is not a call to act joyful, but to really be so. It is also a call to us. We too have every reason to do so when we consider that our sins have been forgiven and that we have received so many blessings, such as protection and guidance, in addition.

‏ Psalms 32:8-9

Guidance for the Way

After the forgiveness follows in Psa 32:8 the promise of God that He will instruct and teach His own in the way they should go. The lessons we learn in this psalm apply to all believers who have gone the way of confession of sin, who have taken these wise lessons to heart.

God does not send the believer on the way with a road map and then withdraw. He goes with him and “instructs” and ‘‘teaches’’ him in that way with His wisdom. We receive this instruction and teaching in the New Testament regarding our way as members of the church (Phil 1:9-11; Col 1:9-10).

It is not a way of your own choosing, but “the way which you should go”. We, New Testament believers, know that this way was prepared beforehand by God, that we would walk therein (Eph 2:10). God determines the way. For going that way He gives general instruction and general teaching, but He also gives “counsel” regarding practical situations. Therefore, we must always ask Him for advice when choices must be made. We will do so if we live in ‘eye contact’ with Him. After all, His eye is upon us. That means that the Lord is watchful, that He is watching over us and caring for us.

The comparison has been made with training a hunting dog. The nature of the dog is to chase after prey as soon as it sees it. The dog’s training is not complete until he first looks at the master before pursuing prey. Having eye contact with the Master is the mark of a mature believer (cf. Psa 123:2; Lk 22:61).

A word of exhortation follows. It may be that we do not let God’s eye guide us because we do not live in eye contact with Him. Then He must treat us as wayward animals like a horse and a mule (Psa 32:9). Both animals need bit and bridle to be restrained so that they go the way the driver wants (cf. Jam 3:3). The lesson is not to be stubborn like a dumb mule, but to choose to humble ourselves and confess our sins. Otherwise, like the psalmist, and like a mule, we will be disciplined until we have learned the lesson.

If God must deal with us in this way, it is not the method of His preference. Yet in this we see His grace, for He thereby keeps us from going a wrong, harmful way. It is a negative form of guidance. The word ‘otherwise’ is not in the original text. The meaning is that “they”, that is the consequences of going a wrong way, “will not come near to you”, that is, cannot harm us.

In Psa 32:10, the wicked and those who trust in the LORD are contrasted. In doing so, the reader is presented with a choice. Whoever chooses the way of the wicked chooses many sorrows. He who chooses the way of trusting in the LORD will be surrounded by “lovingkindness”, which means that God’s lovingkindness is like a wall around him so that no calamity can strike him. Lovingkindness is Adonai in Hebrew. It implies that God is faithful to the covenant, that is, that in His faithfulness to the covenant He will surely grant forgiveness.

The “righteous ones” are called to rejoice and be glad in the LORD (Psa 32:11). If there are any on earth who have reason to do so, it is the righteous ones. These are the believers who have confessed their sins and therefore received forgiveness. The lessons they have taken to heart individually bring their hearts together so that they can now sing songs of praise to the LORD together.

Because their sins have been forgiven, they have a God Who instructs them, teaches them, counsels them and guides them with His eye. They also have a living hope in the prospect of the fulfillment of God’s promises. Surely this should make the heart full of joy (Phil 3:1 ; Phil 4:4; 1Thes 5:16). That joy must be expressed and not just cherished in the heart.

A call is made to “all … who are upright in heart” to sing joyfully. These upright in heart are those with whom there is no spirit of deceit in their hearts. They have honestly and sincerely confessed their sins. Now that they have received forgiveness of sins, they are called to show their joy through songs of praise. It is not a call to act joyful, but to really be so. It is also a call to us. We too have every reason to do so when we consider that our sins have been forgiven and that we have received so many blessings, such as protection and guidance, in addition.