Psalms 31

General context

The speaker puts his trust in the Lord, asks never to be ashamed and to be delivered in his righteousness, and asks the Lord to be his strong rock, to lead him for his name's sake and to pull him out of the net laid secretly for him. He commits his spirit into the Lord's hand and says the Lord God of truth has redeemed him. He hates those who regard lying vanities but trusts in the Lord and rejoices in his mercy, because the Lord has considered his trouble, not shut him up in the enemy's hand, and set his feet in a large room. He asks for mercy because he is in trouble: eye, soul and belly consumed with grief, years spent in sighing, strength failing because of his iniquity, bones consumed. He was a reproach among enemies and neighbours, a fear to acquaintances who fled from him, forgotten like a dead man, like a broken vessel; he hears the slander of many who plot to take his life. But he trusted in the Lord and said, Thou art my God; his times are in God's hand, and he asks to be delivered from his enemies, that God's face shine on his servant, that the wicked rather than he be ashamed and silent in the grave, and that lying lips be silenced. He exclaims at the goodness laid up for those who fear God, hidden in his presence from the strife of tongues. He blesses the Lord for marvellous kindness in a strong city; he had said in haste that he was cut off, but the Lord heard his supplications. He closes by calling the saints to love the Lord and be of good courage, for the Lord will strengthen the heart of all who hope in him.

Cited passages: Psalms 31:1, Psalms 31:2, Psalms 31:3, Psalms 31:4, Psalms 31:5, Psalms 31:6, Psalms 31:7, Psalms 31:8, Psalms 31:9, Psalms 31:10, Psalms 31:11, Psalms 31:12, Psalms 31:13, Psalms 31:14, Psalms 31:15, Psalms 31:16, Psalms 31:17, Psalms 31:18, Psalms 31:19, Psalms 31:20, Psalms 31:21, Psalms 31:22, Psalms 31:23, Psalms 31:24

Psalms 31 (KJV)

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Historical context

The text as printed carries no heading, so no author, occasion or instrument is stated in this source. The speaker is a single "I" who addresses the Lord and, in the last two verses, "all ye his saints". The enemies are those who laid a net, neighbours and acquaintances who fled from him, the "many" who slandered him, and those who took counsel to take his life; none is named. His grief is described in bodily terms, and verse 10 attributes failing strength to "mine iniquity" without saying what that was. "A strong city" in verse 21 is not named, and the text does not say whether it is a place or an image. Verse 22 quotes the speaker's own earlier words, "I said in my haste". Past help ("hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy"), present trouble (verses 9-13) and past hearing (verse 22) all appear, and the psalm does not put them in order. Verse 5, "Into thine hand I commit my spirit", is echoed in Luke 23:46, where Jesus says "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"; that is the later book's use of the line. There is no Selah.

Cited passages: Psalms 31:23, Psalms 31:4, Psalms 31:11, Psalms 31:13, Psalms 31:10, Psalms 31:21, Psalms 31:22, Psalms 31:8, Psalms 31:5, Luke 23:46

Literary context

The hand is the image that runs through the poem: the Lord's hand receives the speaker's spirit (verse 5), the enemy's hand is escaped (8), "My times are in thy hand" is set beside "the hand of mine enemies" (15). Shame frames it, "let me never be ashamed" at the start and "Let me not be ashamed" turned into "let the wicked be ashamed" in verse 17. The movement runs trust and petition (1-6), thanks for past help (7-8), complaint (9-13), trust restated with "But I trusted" (14), petition (15-18), praise of goodness (19-20), blessing with a recalled moment of haste (21-22), and exhortation (23-24). Speech is the enemies' weapon, lying vanities, slander, lying lips, the strife of tongues, and against it the Lord's face shines and a pavilion hides. The broken vessel and the dead man out of mind mark the low point, while "a large room" and "a strong city" are the images of space and safety. The poem ends by turning outward to the saints and to "all ye that hope in the Lord".

Cited passages: Psalms 31:5, Psalms 31:15, Psalms 31:1, Psalms 31:17, Psalms 31:14, Psalms 31:18, Psalms 31:20, Psalms 31:12, Psalms 31:8, Psalms 31:24

Key moments

1. Into thine hand (Psalms 31:5). The speaker commits his spirit into the Lord's hand and says the Lord has redeemed him.
2. Feet in a large room (Psalms 31:8). The Lord has not shut him up in the enemy's hand but set his feet in a large room.
3. A broken vessel (Psalms 31:12). Forgotten like a dead man, he says he is like a broken vessel.
4. Thou art my God (Psalms 31:14). Against slander and plots, he says he trusted in the Lord.
5. My times in thy hand (Psalms 31:15). He says his times are in God's hand and asks deliverance from his enemies.
6. Said in haste, yet heard (Psalms 31:22). He recalls saying in haste that he was cut off, yet the Lord heard his supplications.
7. Be of good courage (Psalms 31:24). He tells all who hope in the Lord to be of good courage.

For reflection

The speaker says his times are in the Lord's hand and also recalls saying in haste that he was cut off from before God's eyes; what does the psalm make of a trust that includes its own moments of panic?

People in this chapter

• David