The Meaning of Psalms 32:4 Explained

Psalms 32:4

KJV: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

YLT: When by day and by night Thy hand is heavy upon me, My moisture hath been changed Into the droughts of summer. Selah.

Darby: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

ASV: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For day  and night  thy hand  was heavy  upon me: my moisture  is turned  into the drought  of summer.  Selah. 

What does Psalms 32:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 32:1-11 - The Song Of The Forgiven
David wrote this psalm, Romans 4:6-8. Maschil means "to give instruction." We are deeply instructed as to the working of conscience. Compare with Psalms 51:1-19. This was one of Luther's favorites.
For some time after his sin, David withheld confession and suffered terribly. But when the wound was opened and the poison pressed from it, he burst out in the words with which the psalm opens: Oh, the blessedness! Sin means missing the mark; iniquity is that which is turned aside from its course. Forgiven, covered, not imputed-each of these is true in Jesus.
The presence of God is always appreciably nearer when floods are running high. Note those three precious promises of instruction, teaching, and guidance, Psalms 32:8. Throw on God the responsibility of indicating your path. Don't wait for the sharp jerk of bit or bridle; let love prompt and inspire your every movement. Haydn said: "When I think on God, the notes dance from my pen." Remember the music and dancing that welcomed the prodigal! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 32

1  Blessedness consists in remission of sins
3  Confession of sins gives ease to the conscience
8  God's promises bring joy

What do the individual words in Psalms 32:4 mean?

For day and night was heavy upon me Your hand was turned My vitality into the drought of summer Selah
כִּ֤י ׀ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַיְלָה֮ תִּכְבַּ֥ד עָלַ֗י יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְשַׁדִּ֑י בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ סֶֽלָה

יוֹמָ֣ם  day 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יׄומָם  
Sense: by day, in the daytime subst.
וָלַיְלָה֮  and  night 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
תִּכְבַּ֥ד  was  heavy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
עָלַ֗י  upon  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ  Your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ  was  turned 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
לְשַׁדִּ֑י  My  vitality 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לָשָׁד  
Sense: juice, juicy bit, dainty bit.
בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי  into  the  drought 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חֲרָבֹון  
Sense: drought.
קַ֣יִץ  of  summer 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַיִץ  
Sense: summer, summer-fruit.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.