Psalms 32:8

8 The Lord says, "I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you.

Psalms 32:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 32:8

I will instruct thee
Or "cause thee to understand" ^F17. These are by many thought to be the words of the Lord, who gives to a man an understanding of spiritual things; he instructs by his providence, and even by afflictive dispensations of providence; and by his word, which is written for the learning of men, and is profitable for doctrine and instruction in righteousness, and by the ministers of it, who are therefore called instructors in Christ; and by his Spirit, when he instructs effectually and to purpose; by him he instructs men in the knowledge of themselves, and of himself in Christ, and of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ; and leads into all truth as it is in Jesus; and opens the understanding to understand the Scriptures, and the doctrines contained in them;

and teach thee in the way which shall go;
the path of duty, from whence men are apt to wander; when the Lord hedges up the way they would go with thorny providences, and by his ministers, word, and Spirit, directs them in the right way; saying, this is the way, walk in it; and the way of truth, which is clearly pointed to in the Scriptures of truth, and by the Spirit of truth; and also the way of life and salvation by Christ, revealed in the Gospel and which the preachers of it show to the sons of men;

I will guide thee with mine eye;
as a master guides his scholar; or as "mine eye" ^F18: with as much care and tenderness as if thou wert the apple of mine eye; see ( Deuteronomy 32:10 ) ( Zechariah 2:8 ) ; or the words may be rendered, "I will counsel", or "give counsel"; as he does, who is wonderful in counsel, and that by his Son, who is the wonderful Counsellor; and by his word and testimonies, which are the delight of his people, and the men of their counsel: "mine eye [is] upon thee" ^F19; as the eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, to watch over them for good, to provide for them, guide and direct them. These words may very well be considered as the words of David, in which he determines to act a part, agreeable to the title of the psalm, "Maschil"; which signifies instructing, or causing to understand; and as he thought himself bound in duty to do, under the influence of the grace and mercy he had received from the Lord, in the forgiveness of his sins; and which he elsewhere resolved to do in a like case, and which is an instance parallel to this, ( Psalms 51:13 ) ; he here promises to "instruct" men in the way of attaining to the blessedness he had been speaking of, by directing them to take the steps he did; namely, to go to the, Lord, and acknowledge and confess their sins before him, when they might expect to find pardoning mercy and grace, as he did; and to "teach" them the way of their duty upon this, to fear the Lord and his goodness, and to serve him in righteousness and holiness all the days of their lives; and to "guide [them] with his eye"; by declaring to them the gracious experiences he had been favoured with, by telling them what he himself had seen and known.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Klykva) "intellectum tibi dabo", V. L. Musculus; "intelligere faciam te", Pagninus, Montanus; so Ainsworth.
F18 (ynye Kyle hueya) "consulam tibi sicut oculo meo", Drusius.
F19 "Consulam, super te est oculus meus", Cocceius, Gejerus, Ainsworth; so the Targum.

Psalms 32:8 In-Context

6 For this reason, all who obey you should pray to you while they still can. When troubles rise like a flood, they will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place. You protect me from my troubles and fill me with songs of salvation.Selah

8 The Lord says, "I will make you wise and show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you.

9 So don't be like a horse or donkey, that doesn't understand. They must be led with bits and reins, or they will not come near you."

10 Wicked people have many troubles, but the Lord's love surrounds those who trust him.