John Trapp on Psalms 32:1

PSAL. XXXII.

A Pſalm of David, Maſchil] i.e. Giving inſtruction, or making prudent; for David here, out of his own experience, turneth Teacher, verſ. 7. and the leſſon that he layeth before his Diſciples is the Doctrin of Juſtification by Faith, that ground of true bleſſedneſs, Rom. 4.6, 7. Docet igitur hic Pſalmus verè precioſus pracipuum & proprium fidei Chriſtiana caput, ſaith Beza, This moſt precious Pſalm inſtructeth us in the chief and principal point of Chriſtian Religion, and it differeth herein from the firſt Pſalm, that there are ſet forth the effects of Bleſſedneſs; but here, the cauſe; Quon[illegible: 2 letters]dò etians eſt Paulus cum Jacobo conciliandus, ſaith he.

Verſ. 1. Bleſſed is be whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven] The heavy burthen of whoſe treſpaſſes is taken off, as the word importeth, and he is looſed, caſed, and lightned. Sin is an intollerable burden, Iſa. 1.3. ſuch as preſſeth down, Heb. 12.1.2. burden it is to God, Am. 2.13. to Chriſt it was, when it made him ſweat water and bloud; to the Angels, when it brake their backs, and ſunk them into Hell; to men, under whom the very earth groaneth, the Axeltree thereof is even ready to crack, &c. it could not bear Corah and his company, it ſpewed out the Canaanites, &c. O then the heaped up happineſs of a juſtified perſon, disburdened of his tranſgreſſions! The word here rendred tranſgreſſion ſignifieth Treachery, and wickedneſs with a witneſs. Aben-Ezra faith, David hereby intends his Sin with Bathſheba; and ſurely this Pſalm, and the one and fiftieth may ſeem to have been made upon the ſame occaſion, they are tuned ſo near together.

Whoſe ſin is covered] As excrements and ordure are covered, that they may not be an eye-ſore, or annoyance to any. Sin is an odious thing, the Devils duivell, or vomit, the corruption of a dead ſoul, the filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit. Get a cover for it therefore (ſc. Chriſts righteouſneſs, called a propitiation, or coverture, and raiment, Rev. 3.18.) Ʋt ſic veletur, ne in judicio reveletur, that the ſhame of thy nakedneſs may not appear.