CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Psalms 31
Chapter 31 of 150
Chapter Overview
What happens in Psalms 31
A psalm of David expressing deep distress and bold trust. It contains the famous words Jesus spoke from the cross: 'Into your hands I commit my spirit.' David moves between despair and faith.
Scripture
Psalms 31
Trust in God's Protection
Study note
David puts his trust in God and asks for deliverance. He commits his spirit into God's hands. Despite his enemies, God has set his feet in a wide, open place.
1 Lord, you are where I run for safety. Never let me end up ashamed. Rescue me because you are right and. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Lean in close and listen to me. Hurry up and come save me. Be the strong rock I can hide behind — a fortress that keeps me safe. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
3 You are my rock and my fortress. For the sake of your very own name, lead me and guide me forward. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me free from the trap someone has hidden for me, because you are my safe place. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
5 I hand over my spirit into your care. You have bought me back, Lord — you are the God who is true. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
6 I can't stand people who grab onto useless idols. My trust is in the Lord alone. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and full of joy because of your faithful love. You have seen how much I have suffered. You have understood the agony deep in my soul. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8 You did not hand me over to my enemy. Instead, you set me in a wide, open place where I can move freely. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
Crying Out in Distress
Study note
David describes intense suffering: grief, weakness, rejection by neighbors, and plots against his life. Yet in the middle of it all, he declares 'You are my God' and trusts that his times are in God's hands.
9 Show me mercy, Lord, because I am crushed with pain. Grief has worn out my eyes — my soul and body are both falling apart. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 Sorrow is eating away my life. My years are spent groaning. My strength is fading because of my pain, and my bones are wasting away. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 All my enemies have turned me into a joke to my neighbors. My friends are terrified of me. People who see me on the street turn and hurry away. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
12 I have been forgotten — like someone who already died. I have been tossed aside like a shattered dish nobody wants. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
13 I hear people whispering everywhere. Terror surrounds me on all sides. They huddle together and scheme against me, plotting to take my life. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But my trust is in you, Lord. I keep saying, "You are my God." But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.
15 Every moment of my life is in your hands. Pull me away from my enemies and from those who are hunting me down. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Let the light of your face shine down on your servant. Save me because of your loyal love. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
17 Lord, don't let me be the one who ends up ashamed — I have cried out to you! Let the wicked be the ones who are silenced in the grave. Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18 Shut every lying mouth — every tongue that spits out proud, hateful words against those who try to do right. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
God's Wonderful Kindness
Study note
David praises God's great goodness stored up for those who fear him. He calls on God's people to love the Lord, be strong, and take courage.
19 How exceedingly great is the goodness you have been saving up for those who honor you! You pour it out on those who run to you for safety, right where everyone can see it. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
20 You tuck them away in the shelter of your presence, far from those who plot against them. You keep them safe inside your dwelling, far from every cutting tongue. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 All praise to the Lord! He showed me his amazing love when I felt like I was in a city under siege. Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
22 In my panic I thought, "I have been completely cut off from your sight!" But you heard every word of my cry for help the moment I called out to you. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
23 Love the Lord, every one of you who is faithful to him! The Lord stands guard over the loyal, but he fully pays back the proud for what they have done. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24 Be brave and let your hearts be strong, all of you who have placed your hope in the Lord. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Key Themes
Themes in Psalms 31
Committing your spirit to GodTrust in the midst of distressGod as a rock and fortressGod's wonderful kindness in a besieged city
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Psalms Psalm 31:5 Luke 23:46
Jesus spoke these words as his final prayer on the cross: 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,' entrusting himself fully to God in death.
Apply This Today
Living Psalms 31
The words 'Into your hands I commit my spirit' were spoken by David and echoed by Jesus on the cross. They are the ultimate prayer of surrender. Whatever you face today, you can place your life, your future, and your fears into God's faithful hands. He will not drop you.
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