311 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. In thee, Jehovah, do I trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2 Incline thine ear to me, deliver me speedily; be a strong rock to me, a house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; and, for thy name's sake, thou wilt lead me and guide me. 4 Draw me out of the net that they have hidden for me; for thou art my strength. 5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, Jehovah, [thou] God of truth. 6 I have hated them that observe lying vanities; and as for me, I have confided in Jehovah. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy loving-kindness, for thou hast seen mine affliction; thou hast known the troubles of my soul, 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large place.
9 Be gracious unto me, Jehovah, for I am in trouble: mine eye wasteth away with vexation, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength faileth through mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted. 11 More than to all mine oppressors, I am become exceedingly a reproach, even to my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that see me without flee from me. 12 I am forgotten in [their] heart as a dead man; I am become like a broken vessel. 13 For I have heard the slander of many—terror on every side—when they take counsel together against me: they plot to take away my life. 14 But I confided in thee, Jehovah; I said, thou art my God. 15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from my persecutors.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 31:1-15
Commentary on Psalm 31:1-8
(Read Psalm 31:1-8)
Faith 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, ver. 5, our Lord Jesus yielded up his last breath on the cross, and made his soul a free-will offering for sin, laying down his life as a ransom. But David is here as a man in distress and trouble. And his great care is about his soul, his spirit, his better part. Many think that while perplexed about their worldly affairs, and their cares multiply, they may be excused if they neglect their souls; but we are the more concerned to look to our souls, that, though the outward man perish, the inward man may suffer no damage. The redemption of the soul is so precious, that it must have ceased for ever, if Christ had not undertaken it. Having relied on God's mercy, he will be glad and rejoice in it. God looks upon our souls, when we are in trouble, to see whether they are humbled for sin, and made better by the affliction. Every believer will meet with such dangers and deliverances, until he is delivered from death, his last enemy.
Commentary on Psalm 31:9-18
(Read Psalm 31:9-18)
David's troubles made him a man of sorrows. Herein he was a type of Christ, who was acquainted with grief. David acknowledged that his afflictions were merited by his own sins, but Christ suffered for ours. David's friends durst not give him any assistance. Let us not think it strange if thus deserted, but make sure of a Friend in heaven who will not fail. God will be sure to order and dispose all for the best, to all those who commit their spirits also into his hand. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, make bitter or sweet, according to the counsel of his will. The way of man is not in himself, nor in our friend's hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's. In this faith and confidence he prays that the Lord would save him for his mercies's sake, and not for any merit of his own. He prophesies the silencing of those that reproach and speak evil of the people of God. There is a day coming, when the Lord will execute judgment upon them. In the mean time, we should engage ourselves by well-doing, if possible, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.