Psa 31:1-5 | Clarke | STEP | The psalmist, with strong confidence in God, in a time of distress prays earnestly for deliverance, . He expresses his abhorrence of evil, ; gratefully mentions former interpositions of God, , ; continues to detail the miseries of his case, ; points out the privileges of them that fear God, , ; shows that God had heard his prayers, notwithstanding he had given himself over for lost, , ; calls on the saints to love God, and to have confidence in him, because he preserves the faithful, and plentifully rewards the proud doer, , . This Psalm contains no notes of time or place, to help us to ascertain when, where, or on what account it was written. Nor have we any certain evidence relative to the author: it might have been written by David during his persecution by Saul. Some think Jeremiah to have been the author: the thirteenth verse begins exactly with the same words as . There are several other apparent references to passages in the book of Jeremiah, which shall be produced in the notes. Verse 1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust - I confide in thee for every good I need: let me not be confounded by not receiving the end of my faith, the supply of my wants, and the salvation of my soul.

‏ Psalms 31:1-5

Introduction

The psalmist, with strong confidence in God, in a time of distress prays earnestly for deliverance, Psa 31:1-5. He expresses his abhorrence of evil, Psa 31:6; gratefully mentions former interpositions of God, Psa 31:7, Psa 31:8; continues to detail the miseries of his case, Psa 31:9-18; points out the privileges of them that fear God, Psa 31:19, Psa 31:20; shows that God had heard his prayers, notwithstanding he had given himself over for lost, Psa 31:21, Psa 31:22; calls on the saints to love God, and to have confidence in him, because he preserves the faithful, and plentifully rewards the proud doer, Psa 31:23, Psa 31:24.

This Psalm contains no notes of time or place, to help us to ascertain when, where, or on what account it was written. Nor have we any certain evidence relative to the author: it might have been written by David during his persecution by Saul. Some think Jeremiah to have been the author: the thirteenth verse begins exactly with the same words as Jer 20:10. There are several other apparent references to passages in the book of Jeremiah, which shall be produced in the notes.

Verse 1

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust - I confide in thee for every good I need: let me not be confounded by not receiving the end of my faith, the supply of my wants, and the salvation of my soul. Verse 2

Bow down thine ear - Listen to my complaint. Put thy ear to my lips, that thou mayest hear all that my feebleness is capable of uttering. We generally put our ear near to the lips of the sick and dying, that we may hear what they say. To this the text appears to allude.

Strong rock - Rocks, rocky places, or caves in the rocks, were often strong places in the land of Judea. To such natural fortifications allusions are repeatedly made by the Hebrew poetic writers. Verse 4

Pull me out of the net - They have hemmed me in on every side, and I cannot escape but by miracle. Verse 5

Into thine hand I commit my spirit - These words, as they stand in the Vulgate, were in the highest credit among our ancestors; by whom they were used in all dangers, difficulties, and in the article of death. In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum, was used by the sick when about to expire, if they were sensible; and if not, the priest said it in their behalf. In forms of prayer for sick and dying persons, these words were frequently inserted in Latin, though all the rest of the prayer was English; for it was supposed there was something sovereign in the language itself. But let not the abuse of such words hinder their usefullness. For an ejaculation nothing can be better; and when the pious or the tempted with confidence use them, nothing can exceed their effect. "Into thy hands I commend my spirit; for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." I give my soul to thee, for it is thine: thou hast redeemed it by thy blood; it is safe nowhere but in thy hand. Thou hast promised to save them that trust in thee; thou art the God of truth, and canst not deny thyself. But these words are particularly sanctified, or set apart for this purpose, by the use made of them by our blessed Lord just before he expired on the cross. "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Πατερ, εις χειρας σου παρατιθεμαι το πνευμα μου· 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,'" Luk 23:46. The rest of the verse was not suitable to the Savior of the world, and therefore he omits it; but it is suitable to us who have been redeemed by that sacrificial death. St. Stephen uses nearly the same words, and they were the last that he uttered. Act 7:59.