King James Version
What Does Psalms 32:3 Mean?
“When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.”
Context
1
A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. A Psalm: or, A Psalm of David giving instruction
2
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5
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.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(3) **When I kept.**—He describes his state of mind before he could bring himself to confess his sin (the rendering of the particle *ki *by *when, *comp. Hosea 11:1, is quite correct). Like that knight of story, in whom
“His mood was often like a fiend, and rose
And drove him into wastes and solitudes
For agony, who was yet a living soul,”
this man could not live sleek and smiling in his sin, but was so tortured by “remorseful pain” that his body bore the marks of his mental anguish, which, no doubt, “had marr’d his face, and marked it ere his time.”
**My bones waxed old.**—For this expression comp. Psalm 6:2.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Psalms 32:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Psalms 32:3
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge