A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] at sacred-texts.com
(Compare Rom 4:6).
forgiven--literally, "taken away," opposed to retain (Joh 20:23).
covered--so that God no longer regards the sin (Psa 85:3).
imputeth--charge to him, and treat him accordingly.
no guile--or, deceit, no false estimate of himself, nor insincerity before God (compare Rom 8:1).
A vivid description of felt, but unacknowledged, sin.
When--literally, "for," as in Psa 32:4.
thy hand--of God, or power in distressing him (Psa 38:2).
moisture--vital juices of the body, the parching heat of which expresses the anguish of the soul. On the other figures, compare Psa 6:2, Psa 6:7; Psa 31:9-11. If composed on the occasion of the fifty-first Psalm, this distress may have been protracted for several months.
A prompt fulfilment of the purposed confession is followed by a prompt forgiveness.
For this--that is, my happy experience.
godly--pious in the sense of Psa 4:3.
a time-- (Isa 55:6); when God's Spirit inclines us to seek pardon, He is ready to forgive.
floods, &c.--denotes great danger (Psa 18:17; Psa 66:12).
His experience illustrates the statement of Psa 32:6.
Whether, as most likely, the language of David (compare Psa 51:13), or that of God, this is a promise of divine guidance.
I will . . . mine eye--or, My eye shall be on thee, watching and directing thy way.
The latter clause, more literally, "in that they come not near thee"; that is, because they will not come, &c., unless forced by bit and bridle.
The sorrows of the impenitent contrasted with the peace and safety secured by God's mercy.
The righteous and upright, or those conforming to the divine teaching for securing the divine blessing, may well rejoice with shouting.