Fathers

Psalms 32

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Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn’t impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn’t hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him. You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh. Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 32:5

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"I acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteousness have I not hid:" that is, my unrighteousness have I not concealed. "I said, I will confess against myself my unrighteousness to the Lord:" I said, I will confess, not against God (as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence), but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. "And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my heart" [Psalm 32:5]; hearing the word of confession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.

Exposition on Psalm 32 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says "My offense." First, he sets forth the confession. Second, he shows its efficacy, at "I said, I will confess." But because a person ought to confess two things, namely, good things omitted and evil things committed, as to the first he says, "My offense," namely, that I omitted doing what I should have done, "I have made known to you" -- not that God does not know, but when a person acknowledges his sin, then he also wants God to know it, so that he may pardon it. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗

Bonaventure

Piety avails for avoiding all evils. Do you wish to be freed from evil? Hear David, who says: "I said: I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord, and you have forgiven the impiety of my sin." Praise God and be angry against sin, and do not defend sin, because to defend sin is a twofold sin.

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3 ↗