The Penitent's Progress
E. Blencowe, M. A. Psalm 32:5 I acknowledge my sin to you, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD… David describes three states of mind through which he passed. I. A STATE OF GUILT. "When I kept silence," etc. It was his own bitter experience. He darkly and sullenly turned away from God. Though a voice within him bade him turn, he would not. He hung back and shunned the presence of his God, like Adam in the garden. It is an unspeakably wretched state of mind. There are two cases in which a man may feel what David felt. 1. An awakened sinner may feel it — a sinner for the first time brought to a sense of his transgression. 2. The other case in which a man may experience what David did, is that of one who, after he has known somewhat of God and the comfort of religion, has unhappily in some degree departed from God again, and fallen into sin, and does not at once return to Him with earnest prayer for forgiveness, with full confession of his sin, with renewed applications to the blood of sprinkling. This was David's case; and this, too, was Jonah's. It is easy even for a good man, through negligence and unwatchfulness, to fall into sin and consequent misery; it is not so easy for him to arise and regain the paths of righteousness; it is not so easy to betake himself indeed to the Saviour, and, through the penitent and believing application of His atoning blood, to recover peace of conscience, and with it renewed liberty in the service of God. But there is help for the penitent, help in the abundant mercy of God our Saviour for them that unfeignedly seek it. II. For mark THE NEXT STAGE OF DAVID'S EXPERIENCE, as it is described in the text: — "I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord." A great change was here. David no longer kept silence. O happy is it, when the guilty mind comes to this resolution! III. A STATE OF HOLY JOY AT BEING RECONCILED TO GOD. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose," etc. Then he represents himself as secure and happy under the guidance and protection of God. And then, once more, he has communion with God in prayer. Are any conscious of sin committed? Dissemble it not. Cloke it not. Go to God your Saviour; confess your sin; and ask forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, and thus only, can you find peace. (E. Blencowe, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. WEB: I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn't hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.