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Selected Verse: Psalms 32:6 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 32:6	Strong Concordance	For this shall every one that is godly [02623] pray [06419] unto thee in a time [06256] when thou mayest be found [04672]: surely in the floods [07858] of great [07227] waters [04325] they shall not come nigh [05060] unto him.
	King James	For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
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).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

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).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For this - With reference to this state of mind, or to this happy result; or, encouraged by my example and my success. The idea seems to be that others would find, and might find, encouragement from what had occurred to him. In other words, his case had furnished an illustration of the way in which sinners are pardoned, and a proof of the mercy of God, which would be instructive and encouraging to others in similar circumstances. The conversion of one sinner, or the fact that one sinner obtains pardon, becomes thus an encouragement to all others, for (a) pardon is always to be obtained in the same manner essentially - by humble and penitent confession of sin, and by casting ourselves entirely on the offered mercy of God; and (b) the fact that one sinner has been pardoned, is full proof that others may obtain forgiveness also, for God is unchangeably the same. All those, therefore, who "have" been pardoned and saved in the world have become examples to the rest, and have furnished full proof that all others "may" be pardoned and saved if they will come in the same manner. See the notes at Ti1 1:16. Everyone that is godly - The original word used here would properly mean those who are pious, or who are already converted. It is the common word used in the Scriptures to denote "saints," and is usually so translated. But, as used here, it would seem rather to denote those who are "inclined" to be pious, or who are seeking how they may become pious; in other words, those who are "religiously disposed." The encouragement is to those who feel that they are sinners; who desire some way of relief from the burden of sin; who are convinced that there is no other source of relief but God, and who are disposed to make the same trial which the psalmist did - to find peace by making confession of sin. All such persons, the psalmist says, might see in his case encouragement to come thus to God; all such would find Him willing to pardon. In a time when thou mayest be found - Margin, as in Hebrew, "in a time of finding." That is, they would find that to be a propitious time, or a time of mercy. It does not mean that there were appointed or set times in which God would be gracious; or that there were seasons when he was disposed to "give audience" to people, and seasons when he could not be approached; but the meaning is, that whenever they came thus - with this penitent feeling, and this language of confession - they would find that the time of mercy. The idea is not that God is anymore disposed to show mercy at one time than another, but that they would find him "always" ready to show mercy when they came in that manner: that would be the time to obtain his favor; "that the time of finding." The real time of "mercy," therefore, for a sinner, is the time when he is willing to come as a penitent, and to make confession of sin. Surely in the floods of great waters - In times of calamity - as when floods of water spread over a land; or in a time of judgment - when such floods sweep everything away. The reference here is, doubtless, to the floods that will come upon the ungodly - upon a wicked world. The illustration is drawn probably from the deluge in the time of Noah. So, when God shall sweep away the wicked in his wrath - when he shall consign them to destruction in the day of judgment - the pardoned sinner will be safe. They shall not come nigh unto him - He will be secure. He shall not be swept off with others. Safe, as a forgiven man - safe as a child and a friend of God - he shall be protected as Noah was in the great deluge that swept off a guilty world. A pardoned man has nothing to fear, though flood or fire should sweep over the world.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

For this - With reference to this state of mind, or to this happy result; or, encouraged by my example and my success. The idea seems to be that others would find, and might find, encouragement from what had occurred to him. In other words, his case had furnished an illustration of the way in which sinners are pardoned, and a proof of the mercy of God, which would be instructive and encouraging to others in similar circumstances. The conversion of one sinner, or the fact that one sinner obtains pardon, becomes thus an encouragement to all others, for

(a) pardon is always to be obtained in the same manner essentially - by humble and penitent confession of sin, and by casting ourselves entirely on the offered mercy of God; and

(b) the fact that one sinner has been pardoned, is full proof that others may obtain forgiveness also, for God is unchangeably the same. All those, therefore, who "have" been pardoned and saved in the world have become examples to the rest, and have furnished full proof that all others "may" be pardoned and saved if they will come in the same manner. See the notes at Ti1 1:16.

Everyone that is godly - The original word used here would properly mean those who are pious, or who are already converted. It is the common word used in the Scriptures to denote "saints," and is usually so translated. But, as used here, it would seem rather to denote those who are "inclined" to be pious, or who are seeking how they may become pious; in other words, those who are "religiously disposed." The encouragement is to those who feel that they are sinners; who desire some way of relief from the burden of sin; who are convinced that there is no other source of relief but God, and who are disposed to make the same trial which the psalmist did - to find peace by making confession of sin. All such persons, the psalmist says, might see in his case encouragement to come thus to God; all such would find Him willing to pardon.

In a time when thou mayest be found - Margin, as in Hebrew, "in a time of finding." That is, they would find that to be a propitious time, or a time of mercy. It does not mean that there were appointed or set times in which God would be gracious; or that there were seasons when he was disposed to "give audience" to people, and seasons when he could not be approached; but the meaning is, that whenever they came thus - with this penitent feeling, and this language of confession - they would find that the time of mercy. The idea is not that God is anymore disposed to show mercy at one time than another, but that they would find him "always" ready to show mercy when they came in that manner: that would be the time to obtain his favor; "that the time of finding." The real time of "mercy," therefore, for a sinner, is the time when he is willing to come as a penitent, and to make confession of sin.

Surely in the floods of great waters - In times of calamity - as when floods of water spread over a land; or in a time of judgment - when such floods sweep everything away. The reference here is, doubtless, to the floods that will come upon the ungodly - upon a wicked world. The illustration is drawn probably from the deluge in the time of Noah. So, when God shall sweep away the wicked in his wrath - when he shall consign them to destruction in the day of judgment - the pardoned sinner will be safe.

They shall not come nigh unto him - He will be secure. He shall not be swept off with others. Safe, as a forgiven man - safe as a child and a friend of God - he shall be protected as Noah was in the great deluge that swept off a guilty world. A pardoned man has nothing to fear, though flood or fire should sweep over the world.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
For this mercy, which is provided for every sinner who repents and confesses his sin, let then, every חסיד, who longs for חסד, turn in prayer to Jahve לעת מצא, at the time (Psa 21:10; Ch1 12:22; cf. בּעת, Isa 49:8) when He, and His mercy, is to be found (cf. Deu 4:29 with Jer 29:13; Isa 55:6, בּהמּצאו). This hortatory wish is followed by a promissory assurance. The fact of לשׁטף מים רבּים being virtually a protasis: quam inundant aquae magnae (ל of the time), which separates רק from אליו, prohibits our regarding רק as belonging to אליו in this instance, although like אף, אך, גּם, and פּן, רק is also placed per hypallage at the head of the clause (as in Pro 13:10 : with pride there is only contention), even when belonging to a part of the clause that follows further on. The restrictive meaning of רק here, as is frequently the case (Deu 4:6; Jdg 14:16; Kg1 21:25, cf. Psa 91:8), has passed over to the affirmative: certo quum, etc. Inundation or flooding is an exemplificative description of the divine judgment (cf. Nah 1:8); Psa 32:6 is a brief form of expressing the promise which is expanded in Ps 91. In Psa 32:7, David confirms it from his own experience. The assonance in מצּר תּצּרני (Thou wilt preserve me, so that צר, angustum = angustiae, does not come upon me, Psa 119:143) is not undesigned; and after תצרני comes רני, just like כלו after בהיכלו in Psa 29:9. There is no sufficient ground for setting aside רני, with Houbigant and others, as a repetition of the half of the word תצרני. The infinitive רן (Job 38:7) might, like רב, plur. רבּי, חק, plur. חקּי, with equal right be inflected as a substantive; and פּלּט (as in Psa 56:8), which is likewise treated as a substantive, cf. נפּץ, Dan 12:7, presents, as a genitive, no more difficulty than does דעת in the expression אישׁ דּעת. With songs of deliverance doth Jahve surround him, so that they encompass him on all sides, and on occasion of exulting meets him in whatever direction he turns. The music here again for the third time becomes forte, and that to express the highest feeling of delight.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

For this mercy, which is provided for every sinner who repents and confesses his sin, let then, every חסיד, who longs for חסד, turn in prayer to Jahve לעת מצא, at the time (Psa 21:10; Ch1 12:22; cf. בּעת, Isa 49:8) when He, and His mercy, is to be found (cf. Deu 4:29 with Jer 29:13; Isa 55:6, בּהמּצאו). This hortatory wish is followed by a promissory assurance. The fact of לשׁטף מים רבּים being virtually a protasis: quam inundant aquae magnae (ל of the time), which separates רק from אליו, prohibits our regarding רק as belonging to אליו in this instance, although like אף, אך, גּם, and פּן, רק is also placed per hypallage at the head of the clause (as in Pro 13:10 : with pride there is only contention), even when belonging to a part of the clause that follows further on. The restrictive meaning of רק here, as is frequently the case (Deu 4:6; Jdg 14:16; Kg1 21:25, cf. Psa 91:8), has passed over to the affirmative: certo quum, etc. Inundation or flooding is an exemplificative description of the divine judgment (cf. Nah 1:8); Psa 32:6 is a brief form of expressing the promise which is expanded in Ps 91. In Psa 32:7, David confirms it from his own experience. The assonance in מצּר תּצּרני (Thou wilt preserve me, so that צר, angustum = angustiae, does not come upon me, Psa 119:143) is not undesigned; and after תצרני comes רני, just like כלו after בהיכלו in Psa 29:9. There is no sufficient ground for setting aside רני, with Houbigant and others, as a repetition of the half of the word תצרני. The infinitive רן (Job 38:7) might, like רב, plur. רבּי, חק, plur. חקּי, with equal right be inflected as a substantive; and פּלּט (as in Psa 56:8), which is likewise treated as a substantive, cf. נפּץ, Dan 12:7, presents, as a genitive, no more difficulty than does דעת in the expression אישׁ דּעת. With songs of deliverance doth Jahve surround him, so that they encompass him on all sides, and on occasion of exulting meets him in whatever direction he turns. The music here again for the third time becomes forte, and that to express the highest feeling of delight.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
For this - Upon the encouragement of my example. Found - In an acceptable and seasonable time, while God continues to offer grace and mercy. Waters - In the time of great calamities. Not come - So as to overwhelm him.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For this shall every one that is godly - Because thou art merciful; because thou hast shown mercy to all who have truly turned to thee, and believed in thee; every one who fears thee, and hears of this, shall pray unto thee in an acceptable time, when thou mayest be found; in the time of finding. When the heart is softened and the conscience alarmed, that is a time of finding. God is ever ready; men are not so. Who can pray with a hard heart and a dark mind? While you feel relentings, pray. Surely in the floods - In violent trials, afflictions, and temptations; when the rains descend, the winds blow, and the floods beat against that godly man who prays and trusts in God; "they shall not come nigh him," so as to weaken his confidence or destroy his soul. His house is founded on a rock.

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¹² Thou hast caused men [0582] to ride [07392] over our heads [07218]; we went [0935] through fire [0784] and through water [04325]: but thou broughtest us out [03318] into a wealthy [07310] place.

¹⁷ He delivered [05337] me from my strong [05794] enemy [0341], and from them which hated [08130] me: for they were too strong [0553] for me.

⁶ Seek [01875] ye the LORD [03068] while he may be found [04672], call [07121] ye upon him while he is near [07138]:

³ But know [03045] that the LORD [03068] hath set apart [06395] him that is godly [02623] for himself: the LORD [03068] will hear [08085] when I call [07121] unto him.

¹⁶ Howbeit [235] for this [5124] cause [1223] I obtained mercy [1653], that [2443] in [1722] me [1698] first [4413] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] might shew forth [1731] all [3956] longsuffering [3115], for [4314] a pattern [5296] to them which should hereafter [3195] believe [4100] on [1909] him [846] to [1519] life [2222] everlasting [166].

⁷ And I heard [08085] the man [0376] clothed [03847] in linen [0906], which was upon [04605] the waters [04325] of the river [02975], when he held up [07311] his right hand [03225] and his left hand [08040] unto heaven [08064], and sware [07650] by him that liveth [02416] for ever [05769] that it shall be for a time [04150], times [04150], and an half [02677]; and when he shall have accomplished [03615] to scatter [05310] the power [03027] of the holy [06944] people [05971], all these things shall be finished [03615].

⁸ Thou tellest [05608] my wanderings [05112]: put [07760] thou my tears [01832] into thy bottle [04997]: are they not in thy book [05612]?

⁷ When the morning [01242] stars [03556] sang [07442] together [03162], and all the sons [01121] of God [0430] shouted [07321] for joy?

⁹ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] maketh the hinds [0355] to calve [02342], and discovereth [02834] the forests [03295]: and in his temple [01964] doth every one speak [0559] of his glory [03519].

¹⁴³ Trouble [06862] and anguish [04689] have taken hold [04672] on me: yet thy commandments [04687] are my delights [08191].

⁷ Thou art my hiding place [05643]; thou shalt preserve [05341] me from trouble [06862]; thou shalt compass [05437] me about with songs [07438] of deliverance [06405]. Selah [05542].

⁶ For this shall every one that is godly [02623] pray [06419] unto thee in a time [06256] when thou mayest be found [04672]: surely in the floods [07858] of great [07227] waters [04325] they shall not come nigh [05060] unto him.

⁸ But with an overrunning [05674] flood [07858] he will make [06213] an utter end [03617] of the place [04725] thereof, and darkness [02822] shall pursue [07291] his enemies [0341].

⁸ Only with thine eyes [05869] shalt thou behold [05027] and see [07200] the reward [08011] of the wicked [07563].

²⁵ But there was none like unto Ahab [0256], which did sell [04376] himself to work [06213] wickedness [07451] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], whom Jezebel [0348] his wife [0802] stirred up [05496].

¹⁶ And Samson's [08123] wife [0802] wept [01058] before him, and said [0559], Thou dost but hate [08130] me, and lovest [0157] me not: thou hast put forth [02330] a riddle [02420] unto the children [01121] of my people [05971], and hast not told [05046] it me. And he said [0559] unto her, Behold, I have not told [05046] it my father [01] nor my mother [0517], and shall I tell [05046] it thee?

⁶ Keep [08104] therefore and do [06213] them; for this is your wisdom [02451] and your understanding [0998] in the sight [05869] of the nations [05971], which shall hear [08085] all these statutes [02706], and say [0559], Surely this great [01419] nation [01471] is a wise [02450] and understanding [0995] people [05971].

¹⁰ Only by pride [02087] cometh [05414] contention [04683]: but with the well advised [03289] is wisdom [02451].

⁶ Seek [01875] ye the LORD [03068] while he may be found [04672], call [07121] ye upon him while he is near [07138]:

¹³ And ye shall seek [01245] me, and find [04672] me, when ye shall search [01875] for me with all your heart [03824].

²⁹ But if from thence thou shalt seek [01245] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430], thou shalt find [04672] him, if thou seek [01875] him with all thy heart [03824] and with all thy soul [05315].

⁸ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], In an acceptable [07522] time [06256] have I heard [06030] thee, and in a day [03117] of salvation [03444] have I helped [05826] thee: and I will preserve [05341] thee, and give [05414] thee for a covenant [01285] of the people [05971], to establish [06965] the earth [0776], to cause to inherit [05157] the desolate [08074] heritages [05159];

²² For at that time [06256] day [03117] by day [03117] there came [0935] to David [01732] to help [05826] him, until it was a great [01419] host [04264], like the host [04264] of God [0430].

¹⁰ Their fruit [06529] shalt thou destroy [06] from the earth [0776], and their seed [02233] from among the children [01121] of men [0120].