John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the Bible (1765)

Psalms 32

Verse 2

2Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Imputeth - Whom God doth not charge with the guilt of his sins, but graciously pardons and accepts him in Christ. No guile - Who freely confesses all his sins, and turns from sin to God with all his heart.

Verse 3

3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Silence - From a full and open confession of my sins. Old - My spirit failed, and the strength of my body decayed. Roaring - Because of the continual horrors of my conscience, and sense of God’s wrath.

Verse 4

4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Hand - Thy afflicting hand. My moisture - Was dried up.

Verse 5

5I 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.

The iniquity - The guilt of my sin.

Verse 6

6For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

For this - Upon the encouragement of my example. Found - In an acceptable and seasonable time, while God continues to offer grace and mercy. Waters - In the time of great calamities. Not come - So as to overwhelm him.

Verse 8

8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

I will - This and the next verse seems to be the words of God, whom David brings in as returning this answer to his prayers. Mine eye - So Christ did St. Peter, when he turned and looked upon him.

Verse 9

9Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Will not - Unless they be forced to it by a bit or bridle. And so all the ancient translators understand it.

Verse 10

10Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

Sorrows - This is an argument to enforce the foregoing admonition.