Psalm 31:1-13

Published: April 27, 2020, 7 a.m.

We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 31:1-13  Listen to Psalm 31:1-13 In the second half of this psalm, to be read tomorrow, it emerges that David composed these lines while in a besieged city. At the very start he declares where he has really taken refuge: not in the safety provided by the city walls, but in the Lord. David highlights what distinguished the people of the God of Israel from other nations: a God who is alive and present with his people, understands their suffering, and moves on their behalf. As a result, he can even say from his position of lockdown in the city under siege that God has set his feet in a spacious place. Despite the confident way in which the psalm has begun, the second section depicts the extreme stress David is under. He is mentally and physically challenged, shunned and even forgotten by his friends. His life is in danger. We can quickly move from a place of feeling completely at rest in God and supported by his care to anxiety and stress. That is part of the human condition, which it is better to acknowledge than to suppress or deny. Lord Jesus, thank you that having lived among us you know exactly how we go up and down. Help us remember that you are with us however we are feeling.