Psalms 32:9
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Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This psalm, though it speaks not of Christ, as many of the psalms we have hitherto met with have done, has yet a great deal of gospel in it. The apostle tells us that David, in this psalm, describes "the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righteousness without words," Rom 4:6. We have here a summary, I. Of gospel grace in the pardon of sin (Psa 32:1, Psa 32:2), in divine protection (Psa 32:7), and divine guidance (Psa 32:8). II. Of gospel duty. To confess sin (Psa 32:3-5), to pray (Psa 32:6), to govern ourselves well (Psa 32:9, Psa 32:10), and to rejoice in God (Psa 32:11). The way to obtain these privileges is to make conscience of these duties, which we ought to think of - of the former for our comfort, of the latter for our quickening, when we sing this psalm. Grotius thinks it was designed to be sung on the day of atonement. A psalm of David, Maschil.
Open source ↗32:9 The senseless person is not wise. Rejecting the Lord’s counsel ruins life and makes one like an animal (see Isa 1:3; Jas 3:3).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.
I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God.