Psalm Category: Psalm of Lament

Central Thought: Psalm 31 teaches us that, instead of running from our problems, or devising our own way out of them, we should surrender ourselves to God.

Key Word: The “Waw” Adversative (v. 14). In verses 13-14, we encounter a common Hebrew construction known as the “waw adversative.” The Hebrew word waw is translated in verse 14 as “but.” What makes this construction significant is that it is used to denote a new beginning, or turning point. In verse 14 it is used to identify the fact that the psalmist is not surrendering himself to his circumstances (described in verse 13), but rather to his God. This construction is common in psalms of lament (e.g., Ps. 13:5; 22:3; 71:14; 86:15; and 102:12), and it reminds us that, for the believer, lament always turns to praise!

Psalm 31

Have you ever been in an extremely stressful situation? Our culture calls us to deal with stress through psychotherapy or medication, or by running from it. In Psalm 31, we find the psalmist under extreme stress. He handles it by surrendering himself to God.

The Nature of the Crisis (vv. 1-4, 9-13): The psalmist reveals that the source of his stress is a conspiracy of his enemies (v. 13). His enemies are trying to destroy with their tongues. The psalmist is a victim of “slander” (v. 13), of “lying lips” (v. 18), and of “accusing tongues” (v. 20). This attack is so intense that it actually impacts the psalmist physically. His body is filled “with grief,” his “life is consumed by anguish” and his “bones grow weak” (vv. 9-10).

Why does the psalmist suffer so? It is because his enemies are attacking his most precious possession: his public reputation. The psalmist is concerned that his enemies will bring him to public shame by destroying his good name (v. 1). For an Israelite, to come to public shame was nearly equivalent to death. The consequences of public shame are already manifesting themselves in the psalmist’s life.

He is the “utter contempt” of his neighbors, “a dread” to his friends; people “flee” from him, and he is forgotten as though he “were dead” (vv. 11-12). The psalmist is under immense stress. He is alarmed (v. 22) and feels like a “besieged city” (v. 21). Therefore, he cries out to God to be his “rock of refuge” and his “strong fortress” (v. 2).

Full Surrender (vv. 5-22): In the midst of his crisis, the psalmist responds by surrendering himself to God. He reveals this full surrender through three declarations. First, in verse 5, he declares, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” By this phrase the psalmist means that he is committing his entire life-giving essence to God.

Second, in verse 14, he declares, “But I trust in you … I say, ‘You are my God.’” The importance of this phrase is understood by viewing what immediately precedes it. In verse 13, the psalmist recounts the extent of his trial. However, in verse 14, even in the face of this trial, the psalmist places his trust in God.

Third, in verse 15, the psalmist declares, “My times are in your hands.” By this phrase he indicates that all the moments of his life, are in God’s hands. In his time of trouble, the psalmist surrenders himself completely to God. God delivers him (vv. 21-22).

God Is Your Refuge (vv. 23-24): The wonderful deliverance experienced by the psalmist is not limited to him. This psalm reveals that this comforting deliverance is yours. How do I know this?

First, because the psalmist tells us that it is so. At the end of the psalm, the psalmist turns to address the worshiping community. He instructs the people that God’s deliverance is for all the “saints,” all the “faithful,” and for “all … who hope in the Lord” (vv. 23-24). That means it is for you.

Second, we know this promise is for us because of the work of Jesus. In Luke 23:46, Jesus quotes from Psalm 31. His last saying on the cross was, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Just like the psalmist, Jesus experienced the insults of His enemies (Luke 23:36, 39) and the power of public shame (Matt. 27:28-29). In the midst of those attacks, He fully surrendered Himself to the Father. Jesus understands what human suffering is all about (Heb. 2:17; 4:15), and He tells you that the best thing to do in the midst of your suffering is to fully surrender your life to your heavenly Father, who promises to be your refuge. Remember the words of Romans 10:11: “As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’”

—Anthony Selvaggio