Psalms 31:0 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Another psalm David wrote for the chief Musician to be used in praising God before the tabernacle.
1 Chronicles 6:31–32 “And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest. And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem….”
Psalms 31:1 ¶ In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
David opens this song with a declaration of his trust in the LORD as his protector and his place of refuge. It’s interesting to me that he often asks the LORD not to let that trust be ashamed or disappointed. We know that when we trust in the LORD, He will never let us down or disappoint us even though we may not understand all the hows and whys of the process He chooses to use.
The king asks the LORD to deliver him in His righteousness; David knew his own righteousness would never qualify as an acceptable basis for his request.
Spurgeon: “No mention is made of merit, but faith relies upon divine favour and faithfulness, and upon that alone.”
Psalms 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psalms 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
David asks the LORD to “bow down” and listen to him because he recognizes the greatness of God over man that he pictures as bowing down to get to his level. It reminds me of his words from another psalm.
Psalms 8:4 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”
David also prays specifically; he asks the LORD to answer his prayer quickly. His trust is in the LORD as his rock of strength and his fortress of defense. He makes his request to the LORD in light of upholding the honor of His name. Recognized as a man of God, David reasons that what happens to him directly affects the honor of God’s name. Moses used this same reasoning when interceding for the people of Israel after they sinned.
Exodus 32:11–12 “And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.”
David also asked for the LORD to guide him. The Hebrew for “guide” was a bit surprising—“to run with a sparkle…and (by inference) to protect, sustain:—carry, feed, guide, lead (gently, on).” David wants to have the LORD by his side as his protector, sustainer, provider and leader.
Psalms 31:4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
Psalms 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
David had evidently fallen into a trap that his enemies had laid for him, and he wants the LORD to take him out of it. He knows that God’s strength can overcome any enemy. David has totally committed his life to the LORD. David is confident that the LORD will rescue him because He is the God of truth; He is trustworthy.
I often find myself following David’s example. I go to the LORD in prayer asking for His deliverance and then end that same prayer by thanking Him for that answer in advance. The caveat is always the fact that I understand that the answer may not come in the timing or manner of my choosing, but according to what He deems best. It has taken me many years to learn to truly rest in that truth.
As He did several times, we find Jesus echoing the words of the psalmist.
Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
The New Bible Commentary made a thought-provoking statement: “The hand of God is not the place where we are immune from life’s troubles; it is the place where they happen to us; our security is not from trouble but in trouble.”
Psalms 31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
Many time throughout the psalms David boldly declares his hatred of those that reject God as their LORD. In this verse, he identifies those people as regarding “lying vanities.” The Hebrew seems to be making reference to worthless false gods. In contrast, David is always quick to publicly declare his trust in the LORD, the self-existent, eternal, all powerful God of Israel.
Psalms 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
Psalms 31:8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
I liked the NLT wording for verse 7: “I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.” These thoughts brought to mind the words of Peter.
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Spurgeon: “the Lord Jesus knows us in our pangs in a peculiar sense, by having a deep sympathy towards us in them all; when no others can enter into our griefs, from want of understanding them experimentally, Jesus dives into the lowest depths with us, comprehending the direst of our woes, because he has felt the same. “
David was also thankful that the LORD had delivered him from the enemy and set him in a “large room,” or a place of safety that the enemy can’t enter without His permission, an idea repeated in another psalm.
Psalms 18:19 “He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.”
Psalms 31:9 ¶ Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
David often calls out for God to show him mercy—His kindness, favor, pity and graciousness—when he is in trouble. He seems to be experiencing a time of great sorrow in light of some specific sin in his life. The burden of his sin is affecting his whole being—spiritual, emotional and physical. The wording seems to indicate that he is an older man at this time.
Psalms 31:11 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.
Psalms 31:12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
Psalms 31:13 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.
Once again, I think the NLT states it well: “I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they turn the other way. I have been ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.”
In other words, David is at a very low place in his physical and emotional life.
Spurgeon re “neighbors” in verse 11: Those who are nearest can stab the sharpest. We feel most the slights of those who should have shown us sympathy.”
Psalms 31:14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.
Psalms 31:15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Spiritually, however, David is steady and firmly trusting in the LORD as “his” God. He knows that his life is in God’s hands and that He can deliver him from his enemies and those that are hunting him to do him harm.
Another Spurgeon gem: “The sovereign arbiter of destiny holds in his own power all the issues of our life; we are not waifs and strays upon the ocean of fate, but are steered by infinite wisdom towards our desired haven.”
Psalms 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.
Psalms 31:17 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.
Psalms 31:18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
“Make thy face to shine upon thy servant” is a call for the LORD to show David favor and grant his request. It’s a quote from the priestly blessing as recorded by Moses.
Numbers 6:24–26 “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Again, he repeats his request from verse one—LORD, please don’t disappoint me since I have prayed to you in faith. He asks for the LORD to destroy his enemies and let them die. He wants their lying lips to be put to silence so that they can no longer persecute those that love the LORD.
David lived under the law. Such a prayer is no longer appropriate for those of us who are under the new covenant of grace through Jesus, who introduced a radical change of behavior towards our enemies. We are to trust the LORD to exact vengeance in accordance with His righteous judgment.
Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you….”
Hebrews 10:30 “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.”
Psalms 31:19 ¶ 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!
Psalms 31:20 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.
David breaks out into words of praise about the great goodness that the LORD has hidden and waiting for those that fear Him, those that have publicly declared their trust in Him. David describes God’s presence as a covering of protection over His people.
We, as Christians, are so blessed to enjoy God’s presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is with us to empower us, to intercede for us in prayer, to instruct us in the truth of God’s word and to strengthen and comfort us as we confront the trials and tribulations of this life, and so much more.
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
1 Corinthians 2:12–13 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
John 14:16–17 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Psalms 31:21 Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
Psalms 31:22 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.
Again, I like the simplified wording of the NLT: “Praise the LORD, for he has shown me his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. In sudden fear I had cried out, ‘I have been cut off from the LORD!’ But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.”
David is praising the LORD for answered prayer.
Psalms 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
David closes his song by urging the saints, those who have chosen to trust the LORD, to love the LORD and show that love by their actions. The LORD rewards faith with protection and provision; however, He will judge the proud (arrogant, haughty).
Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
David then urges the saints to be of good courage, to stand strong in their faith. When you trust in the LORD, He will strengthen your heart and make your faith even stronger.
Psa. 32:0 A Psalm of David, Maschil.
“maschil” = A poem intended to teach; conveying instruction
Spurgeon: “The first Psalm describes the result of holy blessedness, the thirty-second details the cause of it. The first pictures the tree in full growth, this depicts it in its first planting and watering. He who in the first Psalm is a reader of God's book, is here a suppliant at God's throne accepted and heard.”
Psa. 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Happy is he whose rebellion and sin is forgiven (lifted, pardoned, taken away), whose crime and offense is concealed or hidden. This is another way of saying that it’s no longer there in God’s eyes—it’s been forgiven. David is speaking from experience.
James Merritt made a statement that I liked on this point: “He locks our sin in the vault of grace and throws it in the sea of mercy.”
Spurgeon: “The word blessed is in the plural, oh, the blessednesses! the double joys, the bundles of happiness, the mountains of delight!”
Psa. 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
My paraphrase--Happy is the man that the LORD doesn’t charge with accountability for evil or sin and whose spirit (the rational part of man, the conscience) is without deceit—his conscience is clear. This describes the relieved spirit of the man who has confessed his sin before God and knows he has been forgiven.
Guzik: “In these first two verses, David used three words to describe sin.
· The idea behind transgression is crossing a line, defying authority.
· The idea behind sin is falling short of or missing a mark.
· The idea behind iniquity is of crookedness and distortion.”
Psa. 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
Psa. 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
In these verses David begins to explain his experience of repentance and forgiveness. We all can relate to wishing that we could keep a sin hidden. For a child of God to attempt that is pure foolishness. David had an intimate relationship with God; he knew that God knew he had sinned—He just didn’t want to confess it to Him. That immediately set the stage for a huge struggle with his guilt—to the point that he was moaning and groaning and experiencing great depression. He finally got to the point that he could no longer produce any tears.
Another good quote from Merritt: “Sin was the wound; silence was the infection.”
“thy hand was heavy upon me” – I thought that was a very telling expression. David’s relationship was so close to the LORD that he recognized his guilt as the hand of God pressing upon him to repent.
One more good Merritt quote: “Satan will accuse you of sin God has already forgiven. God will only convict you of sin you need to confess.”
Today’s society/culture has so conditioned us to believe that there is always something or someone else we can blame for depression and other mental or emotional conditions that we don’t even associate them with sin in our life. David knew he was trying to hide sin. Because of the undermining of God’s word today as well as the lack of knowledge of God’s word, people sometimes don’t even recognize their sin.
“selah” = a suspension of music, a pause.
Psa. 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Finally, David could take it no longer. He confessed his sin and rebellion to YHWH. The Hebrew for confess includes the idea of “bemoaning with wringing hands.” This describes an attitude that is an acknowledgement of sin with true repentance—true regret with intent to change.
God never rejects His servant who comes to Him with true repentance and a desire for restored fellowship.
2Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin….”
1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Psa. 32:6 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.
The Hebrew for “godly” includes “kind, religious, merciful and holy.” Obviously, the term came about as a comparison to the character of God. I thought the first half of this verse was an interesting expression. It implies that those who want to be like God in character and have fellowship with Him are the ones who pray. It also implies a time when God is not to be found. The last half seems to be a direct response to the thought of the times that God can’t be found. Even though it may appear to us at times that He can’t be found, His provision for and protection of His servants can be depended upon.
I think David is expressing this thought from a human perspective. We think God is able to “be found” when we are experiencing times of blessing and meaningful fellowship with God in worship and prayer. On the other hand, when the LORD permits those times that test us to refine and grow our faith, times when we don’t feel like God hears us, we think He can’t “be found.” Job is the perfect example. Although David has experienced those times when he couldn’t find God, he knew that God was still worthy of his faith; he could count on God to bring him through whatever trial or testing he was experiencing.
I immediately thought of those beautiful verses in Isaiah:
Isaiah 43:1-3 “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour….”
Psa. 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
David is confident of God’s protection and preservation in the midst of affliction, anguish, distress, sorrow, or trouble.
What does it mean for God to surround you with shouts of joy and triumph of deliverance, escape, and safety? Maybe this is just an expression of joy after the time of testing is over. I think of it as being a special gift of the Spirit to the servant of God that allows him to sing the praise of His Savior throughout the time of trouble. He is confident in His salvation in the LORD.
Spurgeon: “Observe that the same man who in the fourth verse was oppressed by the presence of God, here finds a shelter in him. See what honest confession and full forgiveness will do! The gospel of substitution makes him to be our refuge who otherwise would have been our judge.”
Psa. 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
In the next two verses, the prayer has changed from a time of David talking to God to a time of God talking to David. I believe that is what prayer is all about—a time of two-way communication.
“instruct” = to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent…instruct…teach, (have, make to) understand(-ing)…guide wittingly
“teach” = to flow as water…to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach…direct, inform, instruct…teach(-er,-ing)
“guide” = Webster: 1. To lead or direct in a way; to conduct in a course or path; to pilot; as, to guide a traveler. 2. To regulate and manage; to direct; to order; to superintend the training or education of; to instruct and influence intellectually or morally; to train.
As I look over these definitions, it seems to emphasize personalized instruction and direction. God wants us to have good success in life; He wants to give us understanding and wisdom to make application with that understanding. I liked the phrase “guide wittingly.” It means to guide by design; God has a special design and purpose for my life.
I couldn’t help but latch on to the phrase “to flow as water” pertaining to the word teach. Today, we believers can expect to experience God’s teaching through the working (flow) of the Spirit in our life.
John 7:37-39 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.
The word teach also refers to taking aim, instruction with specific purpose.
Again, the word guide makes application to a specific path or course for each servant of God, but it also includes training the heart (character) in conjunction with the mind (intellect).
Psa. 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
You can’t reason with a horse or a mule. You have to teach them to have a conditioned response through repetitive training. God is saying that He doesn’t want us to be like conditioned animals—like robots. He wants fellowship with those who come to Him of their own free will in response to His love and faithfulness.
Psa. 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
When the wicked reap the consequences of their actions, they will find no comfort or relief; they can only expect sorrow, pain and anguish. Those who trust in the LORD, however, can always expect to experience God’s mercy (kindness, favor) to carry them through to a place of deliverance. It reminds me of the verse in John:
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
The LORD specifically states that those who follow Him will experience tribulation and trouble. The key is that He will deliver us through that experience. Not only that, we will benefit from that experience if we keep our focus on Him.
Romans 5:3-5 “…but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Spurgeon: “The wicked have a hive of wasps around them, many sorrows; but we have a swarm of bees storing honey for us.”
Psa. 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
As usual, David ends the Psalm in praise to the LORD. He exhorts the servant of God to be glad (joyful) and rejoice (to spin round with joy). I liked the thought that Webster added to the word glad—wearing a gay or bright appearance. As servants of God, our joy should be reflected in our countenance; people should be able to see the peace and joy that permeates our being. To “shout for joy” references being vocal so as to be heard by others. I think this is a reference to praising God aloud as the source of our peace and joy. We should reflect our love for and faith in God through our attitude and countenance as well as through bold and confident praise that can be heard and understood by others.