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Psalms 31:1-24

The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1-24

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

EXPOSITION

THIS psalm is, in the main, a cry for deliverance out of pressing danger and trouble; but it is interspersed with passages of a more cheerful tone, expressive of faith and confidence (, , ); and it winds up with a eulogy of God's goodness (), and an exhortation to the saints of God to "be strong," and trust in him. The title declares it to be David's; and it both breathes his spirit, and has many of his turns of expression. It has been thought to belong to the period of his early persecution by Saul; but, on the whole, it seems rather suggestive of the later period of trouble connected with the rebellion of Absalom. Dr. Kay divides it into three main portions:

but part 1. might be further subdivided into three, and part 2. into two portions. The psalm thus fails into six divisions:

Part 1. (), prayer;

Part 2. (), self-encouragement;

Part 3. (), causes of his trouble;

Part 4. (), profession of faith and prayer;

Part 5. (), praise of God's goodness;

Part 6. (, ), exhortation to the people to praise God.

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Matthew Henry on Psalms 31:1-8Psalms 31:1-8 · Matthew Henry Concise CommentaryFaith and prayer must go together, for the prayer of faith is the prevailing prayer. David gave up his soul in a special manner to God. And with the words, verse 5, our Lord Jesus yielded up his last breath on the cross…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1Psalms 31:1 · The Pulpit CommentaryIn thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. If prayer to God for aid in a special time of trouble is the main object of the psalm, the expression of full trust in God is a secondary object, and is maintained throughout (see Psa…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1-24Psalms 31:1-24 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe saint rehearsing his experience of the great Protector's care There is no good reason to doubt that this is one of David's psalms. Its forms of expression bear the marks of his pen, £ and the "undesigned coincidence…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1-8Psalms 31:1-8 · The Pulpit CommentaryA prayer for grace in trouble. Authorship uncertain. Some give it to David, in Ziklag; others to Jeremiah. Three divisions. I. THE PSALMIST'S PRAYER. The trouble that oppressed him had been of long duration, as appears…
commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 31:1-8Faith and prayer must go together, for the prayer of faith is the prevailing prayer. David gave up his soul in a special manner to God. And with the words, verse 5, our Lord Jesus yielded up his last breath on the cross…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1-24The saint rehearsing his experience of the great Protector's care There is no good reason to doubt that this is one of David's psalms. Its forms of expression bear the marks of his pen, £ and the "undesigned coincidence…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1-8A prayer for grace in trouble. Authorship uncertain. Some give it to David, in Ziklag; others to Jeremiah. Three divisions. I. THE PSALMIST'S PRAYER. The trouble that oppressed him had been of long duration, as appears…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:1In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. If prayer to God for aid in a special time of trouble is the main object of the psalm, the expression of full trust in God is a secondary object, and is maintained throughout (see Psa…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:2Bow down thine ear to me; or, incline thine ear to me, as the same phrase is translated in Psalms 71:2. Deliver me speedily. Not doubting of deliverance, he makes his request for speedy deliverance (comp. Psalms 38:22;…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:3A prayer for guidance. "For thy Name's sake … guide me." God leads men, whether they ask him or not. He guides their lives, though they may not know him—even may deny his very existence. Belshazzar (Daniel 5:23, "in who…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:3For thou art my Rock; or, my cliff ( סלעי, not צורי). And my Fortress. David prays God to be his Rock and Fortress in the future, because he has always looked to him as his Rock and Fortress in the past. Faith establish…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 31:4Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me. Absalom set a imp for David when he asked permission to go to Hebron for the purpose of paying a vow, whereas his object was to get possession of a strongly for…Joseph S. Exell and contributors