Psalms 32:5-6

Context

32:5 Then I confessed my sin;

I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.

I said, “I will confess¹ my rebellious acts to the Lord.”

And then you forgave my sins.² (Selah)

32:6 For this reason every one of your faithful followers³ should pray to you

while there is a window of opportunity.⁴

Certainly⁵ when the surging water⁶ rises,

it will not reach them.⁷

[32:5] ¹tn The Hiphil of ידה normally means “give thanks, praise,” but here, as in Prov 28:13, it means “confess.”

[32:5] ²tn Heb “the wrongdoing of my sin.” By joining synonyms for “sin” in this way, the psalmist may be emphasizing the degree of his wrongdoing.

[32:6] ³tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 18:25; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[32:6] ⁴tn Heb “at a time of finding.” This may mean, “while there is time to ‘find’ [the Lord]” and seek his forgiveness (cf. NIV). Some emend the text by combining מְצֹא (mÿtso’, “finding”) with the following term רַק (raq, “only, surely”) and read either ר[וֹ]מָצ (matsor, “distress”; see Ps 31:22) or ק[וֹ]מָצ (matsoq, “hardship”; see Ps 119:143). In this case, one may translate “in a time of distress/hardship” (cf. NEB, NRSV).

[32:6] ⁵tn The Hebrew term רַק (raq) occasionally has an asseverative force.

[32:6] ⁶sn The surging water is here a metaphor for trouble that endangers one’s life.

[32:6] ⁷tn Heb “him.” The translation uses the plural “them” to agree with the plural “every one of your faithful followers” in the first line of v. 6.