Psalms 31

Psalms 31:1-24

Deliverance from the enemy. To the chief musician: a psalm of David. We have now what is in itself very simple, but which on that account may seem to have less instruction for us, with whom circumstances are so different, and whose attitude towards those who persecute them is to be so different. For Israel at the time of the end a psalm like this has, of course, the deepest importance. For ourselves spiritual enemies may be imaged in these human ones, and no doubt are: the conflict between good and evil is, in its principles, the same, whatever the part of the field in which we may be engaged.

1. Certain basis-truths are constantly repeated in these psalms; and, simple as they are, the repetition must be as wholesome as it is inevitable. That Jehovah -God in His unchangeable self-consistency -is the rock of faith, needs not, of course, to be proved, nor is it. It is used with God Himself as a prevailing argument for Him to show Himself in that character. Must He not be to the soul that trusts Him all that it counts upon Him for? The suppliant can plead His righteousness even in his own behalf; for does He not encourage faith to lay hold upon Him? “Be to me” therefore, he cries, “a rock of strength, a house of defence, to save me: for my rock and my fortress Thou art.” And would He not be known for what He is? that is, act for His Name’s sake, -lead and guide His people in conformity with this?
2. Relationship to God is one of dependence necessarily on the side of His creature it is the relation of the weak to the strong, of the foolish and short-sighted to the Infinitely Wise, of those prone to sin to the Ever-Holy. It implies that He is to be their resource and help, even against themselves, and against every form of real evil. Thus the psalmist commits himself into Jehovah’s hand, as his mighty and faithful Redeemer his heart cleaving to Him in opposition to every false confidence and senseless superstition of man.
3. Now he realizes Jehovah’s mercy. He has seen his trouble, known his soul in straits. How comforting to know that; though deliverance yet there is not! What comfort is there in the presence of one who loves us, even though powerless to bring us other help! But the psalmist can say more than that. He is not shut up in the enemy’s hand; his feet are set in freedom, in a large place.
4. After the manner of the Psalms, and indeed according to numerical symbolism, to which the Psalms, as well as all other scriptures, are conformed, the trial comes after the deliverance, or at least the anticipation of this by faith. The whole trouble is spread out before God, with every circumstance of sorrow and distress. The speaker is in strait; his eye shrunk with vexation, yea, his soul and inmost parts; his life is spent with grief, and his years with sighing; his strength fails, the solid bones themselves are shrunken. Nor is this even private misery: all around, his neighbors and acquaintances, realize his condition beset with eager enemies, and avoid him as not willing to share his lot. Even more, like a dead man, or a broken vessel cast upon the refuse-heap, he has dropped out of the memory, -worse, out of the hearts that once held him in affection. And even yet this desolate and cast-off life men cannot leave alone, but have conspired to take it: the extremes and opposites of sorrow meet and are reconciled in the forms of “terror round about.”
5. But out of it all he turns to God again. The waves but fling him higher on the rock. “But as for me, I have trusted in Thee, Jehovah: I have said, Thou art my God! My times are in Thy hand.” Oh what a song the wind’s wild music makes, when that can be said really from the heart! And though the prayer still goes on, “deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,” yet the perplexity is gone. “Make Thy face to shine,” he says; but its rays are already lighting up his heart when he says so. Then he sees the pillar-glory turn its terror upon his enemies: “the wicked shall be ashamed; they shall be silent in Sheol.” And he puts his consenting Amen into a prayer: “Be dumb the lying lips, which proudly and contemptuously speak against the righteous!”
6. The whole ends with a song of victory. The goodness of God was but “laid up” for those that fear Him, when as yet experience there was none; and, though in unseen Arms, His refugees too are laid up, -hidden from conspiracies and the whole strife of tongues; fenced round as in a fortressed city. Alas, there had been alarm, and unbelief had misconstrued God’s silence; yet He had heard, all through: and the unburdened heart breaks out in earliest exhortation, bred of this experience. “Oh love Jehovah, all ye godly ones of His! Jehovah preserveth the faithful, and plentifully recompenseth the proud doer.” Thus may the hearts of His own be animated with the courage of assured victory: Be strong, and let your hearts take courage: all ye that hope in Jehovah."