Psalm 31:3 Kommentar

It is probable that David penned this psalm when he was persecuted by Saul; some passages in it agree particularly to the narrow escapes he had, at Keilah (Sa1 23:13), then in the wilderness of Maon, when Saul marched on one side of the hill and he on the other, and, soon after, in the cave in the wilderness of En-gedi; but that it was penned upon any of those occasions we are not told. It is a mixture of prayers, and praises, and professions of confidence in God, all which do well together and are helpful to one another. I. David professes his cheerful confidence in God, and, in that confidence, prays for deliverance out of his present troubles (Psa 31:1-8). II. He complains of the very deplorable condition he was in, and, in the sense of his calamities, still prays that God would graciously appear for him against his persecutors (Psa 31:9-18). III. He concludes the psalm with praise and triumph, giving glory to God, and encouraging himself and others to trust in him (Psa 31:19-24). To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 31 To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm, according to Arama, was composed by David when in Keilah; but, according to Kimchi and others, when the Ziphites proposed to deliver him up into the hands of Saul; and who, upon their solicitations, came down and surrounded him with his army, from whom in haste he made his escape, and to which he is thought to refer in Psa 31:22. Theodoret supposes it was written by David when he fled from Absalom, and that it has some respect in it to his sin against Uriah, in that verse.

For thou art my rock and my fortress,.... What he prayed for he knew him to be, and to have been in times past, and could claim his interest in him; and therefore entreats that he would appear to be to him what he was in himself, and what he had been to him; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me; either as a shepherd does his flock, gently, as they are able to bear it; into the green pastures of the word and ordinances, and beside the still waters of divine love, and to the overflowing fountain, and fulness of grace in himself; or as a general leads and guides his army; Christ being a Leader and Commander of the people, and the great Captain of their salvation, and who being at the head of them, they fear no enemy; or as a guide leads and directs such as are ignorant, and out of the way. The psalmist desires the Lord would lead him in the way of truth and paths of righteousness, according to his word; and guide him with his counsel, and by his Spirit, that so he might walk in the way in which he should go; and this he entreats he would do "for his name's sake"; not for any merit or worthiness in him; but for the glory of his own name, and for the honour of his free grace and mercy, for which the Lord often does many things; he defers his anger, he purges away the sins of his people, he forgives their transgressions, and remembers their sins no more, for his name's sake.

"For You are My strength, and My refuge" [Psalm 31:3]. For You are unto Me My strength to bear My persecutors, and My refuge to escape them. "And for Your Name's sake You shall be My guide, and shall nourish Me." And that by Me You may be known to all the Gentiles. I will in all things follow Your will; and, by assembling, by degrees, Saints unto Me, You shall fulfil My body, and My perfect stature.

Now, through all the verses occurring here, at any rate, we learn the measure of his prudence: his appeal for divine assistance is made on the basis not of his own virtue but of God’s name and of God’s righteousness and because he hoped in him.

He leads through right faith and works and nourishes through his own understanding.

Then when he says, "For you are," he shows what moves him. First, to hope. Second, to pray, at "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted." Concerning the first he does two things. For first he is moved to hope from the consideration of the divine condition. Second, from the experience of benefits, at "But I have hoped in the Lord." For these two things give confidence. He shows the condition of God in two ways. First, by comparison to us; second, by comparison to adversaries, because there were both adversaries and enemies, at "You have hated those who observe." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he sets forth God's relation to us; second, what he hopes from this, at "And for your name's sake." Third, raised up in hope, he breaks forth in prayer, at "Into your hands." Now it should be known that God has a relation to us because he is our strength for accomplishing all the good things that we do through him. Ex. 15: "The Lord is my strength and my praise," and so on. Likewise, because he is our refuge for avoiding evils. Ps. 103: "The rock" (namely God) "is a refuge for hedgehogs." And therefore he says, I hope in you because of these two things. And what he hopes for, he shows in the person of a wayfarer, because he always needs a guide, a provider, and a defender. The first pertains to the way; the second to life; the third to safety. And therefore as to the first he says, "You will lead me," namely along the way of salvation. As to the second, "And you will nourish me," with the nourishment of virtues, and also with bodily nourishment. Ps. 22: "The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing." As to the third, "You will bring me out of the snare," that is, from the deceitful ambush, which they have prepared for me. Prov. 1: "Come with us, let us lie in wait," and so on. Ps. 123: "The snare is broken." And the reason is that you are my protector; as if to say, I hope because you will do these things for me, because you are my protector.

The prayer of a believer in time of deep distress. In the first part, cries for help are mingled with expressions of confidence. Then the detail of griefs engrosses his attention, till, in the assurance of strong but submissive faith, he rises to the language of unmingled joyful trust and exhorts others to like love and confidence towards God. (Psa. 31:1-24) Expresses the general tone of feeling of the Psalm.