notes
Main point summary
The psalmist prays to the Lord and expresses trust in Him during a time of personal sin and persecution.
Arc
editing
OT
Psalms 31:1-24
nasb
a In You, O Lord , I have taken refuge;
Let me never b be ashamed;
c In Your righteousness deliver me.
a Incline Your ear to me,
rescue me quickly;
Be to me a b rock of 1 strength,
A stronghold to save me.
Synonymous Parallelism
coord
SP
series
inference
For You are my 1 rock and a my fortress;
For b Your name’s sake
You will lead me and guide me.
You will a pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my b strength.
ground
a Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
bilateral
You have b ransomed me, O Lord , c God of 1 truth.
I hate those who a regard 1 vain idols,
But I b trust in the Lord .
I will a rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have b seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
Synonymous Parallelism
And You have not a given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.
negativepositive
Be gracious to me, O Lord ,
for a I am in distress;
My b eye is wasted away from grief, c my soul and my body also.
ideaexplanation
For my life is spent with a sorrow
And my years with sighing;
Synonymous Parallelism
My b strength has failed
because of my iniquity,
And c my 1 body has wasted away.
Synonymous Parallelism
Because of all my adversaries,
I have become a a reproach, Especially to my b neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
Synonymous Parallelism
I am a forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
For I have heard the 1 a slander of many,
b Terror is on every side;
While they c took counsel together against me,
They d schemed to take away my life.
Synonymous Parallelism
temporal
But as for me, I trust in You,
O Lord , I say, “ a You are my God.”
My a times are in Your hand;
Synonymous Parallelism
b Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
Make Your a face to shine upon Your servant;
b Save me in Your lovingkindness.
Let me not be a put to shame, O Lord ,
for I call upon You;
Let the b wicked be put to shame,
let them c be silent in 1 Sheol.
Synonymous Parallelism
Let the a lying lips be mute,
Which b speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.
actionmanner
alternative
How great is Your a goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who b take refuge in You, c Before the sons of men!
Synonymous Parallelism
You hide them in the a secret place of Your presence from the b conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a 1 shelter from the c strife of tongues.
Synonymous Parallelism
a Blessed be the Lord ,
For He has made b marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged c city.
As for me, a I said in my alarm,
“I am b cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You c heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.
concessive
O love the Lord , all you a His godly ones!
The Lord b preserves the faithful
And fully c recompenses the proud doer.
a Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who 1 hope in the Lord .
Synonymous Parallelism: the following lines repeat or reinforce the sense of the first line.
Psalm type: Lament
Address: v1-5
Complaint: v9-13
Assurance: v6-8,22
Deliverance: v15b-18
Trust: v14-15a
Praise: v19-21,23-24
discourse
Phrase
Psalms 31:1-24
A. Prayer
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.
Incline Your ear to me,
rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake
You will lead me and guide me.
You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth.
B. Trust
I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.
C. Lament
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed
because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.
Because of all my adversaries,
I have become a reproach, Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.
B'. Trust
But as for me, I trust in You,
O Lord, I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in Your hand;
A'. Prayer and Praise
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.
Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,
for I call upon You;
Let the wicked be put to shame,
let them be silent in Sheol.
Let the lying lips be mute,
Which speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.
How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men!
You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the Lord,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.
As for me, I said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.
O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!
The Lord preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.
Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.
phrasing