What does Psalms Chapter 32 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The upright are called to musical praise of God’s right word and mercy. Creation and enduring divine counsel are contrasted with human schemes. Military strength statements lead to hope, waiting and a plea for mercy.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Exultate, justi. The separate heading exhorts praise and trust; the inscription is for David. The just are called to rejoice, with praise fitting the upright, using harp, ten-string psaltery and a new canticle sung well with loud noise. The psalm calls God's word right and works faithful, says He loves mercy and judgment and the earth is full of His mercy.

The heavens were established by His word and their power by His mouth's spirit; sea waters are gathered as in a vessel and depths stored. Earth and inhabitants are called to fear and awe, because He spoke and things were made, commanded and they were created. He brings nations' counsels to nothing, rejects people's devices and casts away princes' counsels, while His counsel and heart's thoughts endure through generations. The nation whose God is the Lord and people chosen for His inheritance are blessed.

He looked from heaven and His habitation upon all earth's dwellers, making each heart and understanding works. A king is not saved by a great army, nor a giant by his strength, and a horse is vain for safety. God's eyes are on those fearing and hoping in mercy to deliver souls from death and feed in famine. The speakers wait for the Lord as helper and protector, their heart shall rejoice, and they ask mercy as they hoped. This praise names no particular collapsing empire, military confederacy or assembly, and does not supply a civil-defense policy.

The story inside

Opening: The upright are called to musical praise of God’s right word and mercy. Development: Creation and enduring divine counsel are contrasted with human schemes. Conclusion: Military strength statements lead to hope, waiting and a plea for mercy.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The upright are called to musical praise of God’s right word and mercy.
2
Creation and enduring divine counsel are contrasted with human schemes.
3
Military strength statements lead to hope, waiting and a plea for mercy.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 59493–59505
32:1. A psalm for David. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright. 32:2. Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings. 32:3. Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise. 32:4. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness. 32:5. He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
Lines 59507–59517
32:6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth: 32:7. Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses. 32:8. Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him. 32:9. For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.
Lines 59538–59547
32:16. The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength. 32:17. Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength. 32:18. Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy. 32:19. To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.