SEV Biblia, Chapter 32:1
¶ De David: Masquil. Bienaventurado el perdonado de rebelin, el encubierto de pecado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Psalms 31:1
Verse 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven ] In this and the following verse four evils are mentioned: 1. Transgression, [p peshwa. 2. Sin, hafj chataah. 3. Iniquity, w[ avon. 4. Guile, hymr remiyah. The first signifies the passing over a boundary, doing what is prohibited. The second signifies the missing of a mark, not doing what was commanded; but is often taken to express sinfulness, or sin in the future, producing transgression in the life. The third signifies what is turned out of its proper course or situation; any thing morally distorted or perverted. Iniquity, what is contrary to equity or justice. The fourth signifies fraud, deceit, guile, &c. To remove these evils, three acts are mentioned: forgiving, covering, and not imputing. 1. TRANSGRESSION, [p pesha, must be forgiven, ywn nesui, borne away, i.e., by a vicarious sacrifice; for bearing sin, or bearing away sin, always implies this. 2. SIN, hafj chataah, must be covered, ywsk kesui, hidden from the sight. It is odious and abominable, and must be put out of sight. 3. INIQUITY, w[ anon, which is perverse or distorted, must not be imputed, bjy al lo yachshob, must not be reckoned to his account. 4. GUILE, hymr remiyah, must be annihilated from the soul: In whose spirit there is no GUILE. The man whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is hidden, God having cast it as a millstone into the depths of the sea; whose iniquity and perversion is not reckoned to his account; and whose guile, the deceitful and desperately wicked heart, is annihilated, being emptied of sin and filled with righteousness, is necessarily a happy man.
The old Psalter translates these two verses thus: "Blissid qwas wikednes es for gyven, and qwas synnes is hyled" (covered.) "Blisful man til qwam Lord "retted" (reckoneth) "noght Syn: ne na treson es in his gast" (spirit.) In vain does any man look for or expect happiness while the power of sin remains, its guilt unpardoned, and its impurity not purged away. To the person who has got such blessings, we may say as the psalmist said, yra ashrey, O the blessedness of that man, whose transgression is forgiven! &c.
St. Paul quotes this passage, Rom. iv. 6, 7, to illustrate the doctrine of justification by faith; where see the notes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1, 2 - Sin is the cause of our misery; but the true believer's transgression of the Divine law are all forgiven, being covered with the atonement Christ bare his sins, therefore they are not imputed to him. The righteousness of Christ being reckoned to us, and we being made the righteousness of God in him, our iniquity is not imputed, God havin laid upon him the iniquity of us all, and made him a sin-offering for us. Not to impute sin, is God's act, for he is the Judge. It is God that justifies. Notice the character of him whose sins are pardoned; he is sincere, and seeks sanctification by the power of the Holy Ghost. He does not profess to repent, with an intention to indulge in sin because the Lord is ready to forgive. He will not abuse the doctrine of free grace. And to the man whose iniquity is forgiven, all manner of blessings are promised.
Original Hebrew
לדוד 1732 משׂכיל 4905 אשׁרי 835 נשׂוי 5375 פשׁע 6588 כסוי 3680 חטאה׃ 2401
