Psa 31:3 | KingComments | STEP | In , David directly expresses confidence that God is to him what he asked in . We find several synonyms for God in connection with confidence: strong rock, fortress ( ). The LORD is the rock, Whose work is perfect ( ): this says something about the LORD’s willingness and ability to deliver His people. Already during a prayer made in faith, the prayer receives the assurance of its being answered. This experience of David – and in the end time of the remnant – is a wonderful incentive for us to take refuge in God in faith. We will then also experience that “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” ( ). Having been strengthened by the hearing, David prays on, asking God to lead him and guide him and to do so “for Your name’s sake”. The honor of God is connected to the fate of His people. His name is dishonored when things turn bad for His people (cf. ). Here the psalmist returns to Psalm 23 where the LORD is seen as the good Shepherd ( ). The way is full of dangers. The enemies are lurking. To avoid falling into their hands he asks the LORD to lead him. He also asks God to guide him, in which is contained the question to do it with patience. How we too need to ask that! The motive is not so much that we will be kept if God is our Guide, but that His Name will be glorified. In , David speaks of what his enemies are doing to him. They have secretly laid an invisible net for him. David often complains in Psalms about nets and traps that his enemies have laid to catch him with. He asks if God will pull him out of it and free him from its danger. He himself cannot do it, but God, of Whom he says “You are my strength”, can. David commits his spirit, which is his life or breath of life, into God’s hand ( ). This is a culmination of trust, it is trust unto death. This applies in fullness only to the Lord Jesus. We are admonished, though, to imitate this trust ( ). David cannot protect his spirit, his life, himself and therefore places it in God’s hand. We hear the Lord Jesus speak the same words as He hangs on the cross, at the end of His suffering on the cross ( ). There are, however, differences from what David says. We see, as noted above, that our confidence is weak, while that of the Lord Jesus is perfect. These words occur in the evening prayer of the Jews before they go to sleep. ‘To commit’ means ‘to entrust temporarily’, a kind of deposit, a deposit of savings to be withdrawn later. Here it expresses the expectation that the Lord Jesus will rise. With the Jews and with David it expresses the expectation that they will rise from sleep the next day. Further, we see that these words from David’s mouth imply a request for protection. It means that he no longer makes plans himself, but leaves it to God. This is also different with the Lord Jesus. He has always done everything in perfect agreement with His God and Father. With Him, committing His spirit into the hand of His Father is His final act of dedication, of Self-surrender. No one has taken His life, His life-breath, from Him. He surrenders His spirit Himself, He lays down His life Himself because He received a commandment from the Father to do so ( ). David’s spirit was not taken from him, for God made sure he kept his life. He testifies with gratitude that the “LORD”, the “God of truth”, or “faithful God” as it can also be translated, can and will redeem. God has proven that He is the faithful God or the God of truth. Opposite to that God David places his enemies, as people “who regard vain idols” ( ) or people who put their trust in these puny gods, these empty vanities. He contrasts this with emphasis, “I”, that he trusts in the LORD. David has great joy because of the lovingkindness of God ( ). After all, God has seen his misery. And not only that. He has known the troubles of David’s soul, that is, He has not only taken note of it, but participated in it. It implies a deep knowledge that was gained through intimacy. David thanks God that He has not given him over “into the hand of the enemy”, but on the contrary has set his “feet in a large place” ( ). We can think here of the persecution by Saul who surrounded him at some moment and that God delivers him from it ( ).

‏ Psalms 31:3

Trust and Gladness

In Psa 31:3, David directly expresses confidence that God is to him what he asked in Psa 31:2. We find several synonyms for God in connection with confidence: strong rock, fortress (Psa 31:2 ; 3). The LORD is the rock, Whose work is perfect (Deu 32:4): this says something about the LORD’s willingness and ability to deliver His people.

Already during a prayer made in faith, the prayer receives the assurance of its being answered. This experience of David – and in the end time of the remnant – is a wonderful incentive for us to take refuge in God in faith. We will then also experience that “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6).

Having been strengthened by the hearing, David prays on, asking God to lead him and guide him and to do so “for Your name’s sake”. The honor of God is connected to the fate of His people. His name is dishonored when things turn bad for His people (cf. Psa 23:3 ; Psa 106:8). Here the psalmist returns to Psalm 23 where the LORD is seen as the good Shepherd (Psa 23:1).

The way is full of dangers. The enemies are lurking. To avoid falling into their hands he asks the LORD to lead him. He also asks God to guide him, in which is contained the question to do it with patience. How we too need to ask that! The motive is not so much that we will be kept if God is our Guide, but that His Name will be glorified.

In Psa 31:4, David speaks of what his enemies are doing to him. They have secretly laid an invisible net for him. David often complains in Psalms about nets and traps that his enemies have laid to catch him with. He asks if God will pull him out of it and free him from its danger. He himself cannot do it, but God, of Whom he says “You are my strength”, can.

David commits his spirit, which is his life or breath of life, into God’s hand (Psa 31:5). This is a culmination of trust, it is trust unto death. This applies in fullness only to the Lord Jesus. We are admonished, though, to imitate this trust (1Pet 4:19).

David cannot protect his spirit, his life, himself and therefore places it in God’s hand. We hear the Lord Jesus speak the same words as He hangs on the cross, at the end of His suffering on the cross (Lk 23:46). There are, however, differences from what David says. We see, as noted above, that our confidence is weak, while that of the Lord Jesus is perfect.

These words occur in the evening prayer of the Jews before they go to sleep. ‘To commit’ means ‘to entrust temporarily’, a kind of deposit, a deposit of savings to be withdrawn later. Here it expresses the expectation that the Lord Jesus will rise. With the Jews and with David it expresses the expectation that they will rise from sleep the next day.

Further, we see that these words from David’s mouth imply a request for protection. It means that he no longer makes plans himself, but leaves it to God. This is also different with the Lord Jesus. He has always done everything in perfect agreement with His God and Father. With Him, committing His spirit into the hand of His Father is His final act of dedication, of Self-surrender. No one has taken His life, His life-breath, from Him. He surrenders His spirit Himself, He lays down His life Himself because He received a commandment from the Father to do so (Jn 10:17-18).

David’s spirit was not taken from him, for God made sure he kept his life. He testifies with gratitude that the “LORD”, the “God of truth”, or “faithful God” as it can also be translated, can and will redeem. God has proven that He is the faithful God or the God of truth. Opposite to that God David places his enemies, as people “who regard vain idols” (Psa 31:6) or people who put their trust in these puny gods, these empty vanities. He contrasts this with emphasis, “I”, that he trusts in the LORD.

David has great joy because of the lovingkindness of God (Psa 31:7). After all, God has seen his misery. And not only that. He has known the troubles of David’s soul, that is, He has not only taken note of it, but participated in it. It implies a deep knowledge that was gained through intimacy.

David thanks God that He has not given him over “into the hand of the enemy”, but on the contrary has set his “feet in a large place” (Psa 31:8). We can think here of the persecution by Saul who surrounded him at some moment and that God delivers him from it (1Sam 23:26-28).