Stress

Psalm 31 KJV 1900

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed: Deliver me in thy righteousness. 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: Be thou my strong rock, For an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; Therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: For thou art my strength. 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: But I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: For thou hast considered my trouble; Thou hast known my soul in adversities; 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: Thou hast set my feet in a large room. 9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: Mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. 11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, But especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: They that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. 13 For I have heard the slander of many: Fear was on every side: While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life. 14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. 15 My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. 16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: Save me for thy mercies’ sake. 17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; Which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. 19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; Which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Before the sons of men! 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. 22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. 23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: For the Lord preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, All ye that hope in the Lord.

Introduction

Stress #1 (1-8)

Prayer for help (1-6)

The psalmist’s first prayer for help is characterized by the theme of rescue and refuge.

If you go through the first 6 verses of this psalm, you will find David seeking salvation in God.

He asks for deliverance and salvation.

He views God as his rock, his fortress, and his house of defense.

Most believe that this is a Psalm either written during or inspired by the rebellion of Absalom.

It is a time where David is once again a refugee.

When he was young, it was Saul that chased him.

When he was old, it was his son Absalom.

David had lived his life, primarily, trusting God to take care of him.

Now he worries that God will not come through for him.

He’s genuinely afraid that he will be ashamed of placing his trust in the Lord.

Given the circumstances he is facing, we can understand why.

David appeals to God for help on the basis of two aspects of God’s character.

In verse 1, David appeals to God’s righteousness.

God had made promises that David had trusted.

He pleads with God to be righteous and not go back on His promises.

In verse 3, he appeals to God’s name.

As the king of God’s people, David and his “fortunes” are a refection on God and His ability to take care of His people.

David seeks to tie his situation to God’s reputation.

Having made his appeal, David throws himself into the hands of God.

Verse 5 is an interesting verse.

David is asking for God to protect him in life and really preserve his life.

In verse 4, he realizes that there are traps and snares that have been set.

David hopes that God will just help him to make it through this time alive.

David isn’t the only one to utter these words.

Jesus and Stephen both quoted this verse, but not in relation to saving their lives.

Instead we see a sharp contrast between the Old and New Testaments.

Jesus modeled and Stephen followed in the mentality of trusting God to care for us in death.

David calls to God when his life is in danger.

Declaration of trust (7-8)

The tone changes in verse 7 where David is reassured of God’s protection.

He now speaks of rejoicing.

He is confident now that God sees his situation.

He is convinced that God will not consign him into the hand of the enemy.

Instead, David acknowledges that God has set him up in a large, safe room.

Doesn’t verse 8 seem like a really nice place to end the Psalm.

You have conflict and resolution.

You have a cry for help and then a statement of faith.

It is not the end, however.

Verse 9 falls right back into stress.

Some commentators think this means that the Psalm may be a combination of two separate songs.

This isn’t necessary.

The most likely explanation for two separate stress-solution movements is that this is the reality of life.

How often do we cycle back and forth between stress and faith?

One second we are convinced that God will take care of us.

The next second we are again wrestling with the fear of what might happen.

David falls back into stress, and it seems to be triggered by the treatment he receives from others.

Stress #2 (9-24)

Prayer for help (9-18)

If the recurring theme of the first stress was the need for rescue, the theme of this stress is an inward focus.

David is consumed with how his situation affects him.

Look briefly at vss 9-18.

Count how many times David says I, my, mine, and me.

David’s stress has been going on for a while.

Long-term stress has a severe effect.

We are not meant to live under constant stress.

We can handle intense stress as long as we receive repsites.

Without a break, long term stress wears us down and out.

He feels like he has no more strength left to deal with it.

Long term stress makes a person feel isolated.

David knows his situation has made him a reproach among his enemies.

Even his neighbors and acquaintances are leery of him.

He says that when people see him coming, they flee in the opposite direction.

David feels like he is already dead and forgotten.

This isolation makes David suspicious of what people are saying about him.

He says he has heard the slander of others towards him.

He feels fear on every hand.

He knows people are conspiring against him to take his life.

This is the darkest David gets, but he begins to turn his eyes off of himself and onto the Lord.

You can see the transition beginning in verse 15 and running through the end of the Psalm.

Sometimes our strength in God comes on quick.

Sometimes it comes on gradually.

David recognizes that his life and all that pertains to it is in God’s hands. 15

Deliverance is in God’s power.

David seeks God’s pleasure to shine upon him.

He asks God to save him for His mercies’ sake.

David is convinced that God is merciful.

He wants his life to be an outlet of this mercy.

David repeats his desire to not be proven wrong about trusting in God.

Instead he wants the wicked to be ashamed of doubting God.

He wants those that opposed him because of his trust in God to be silenced.

Declaration of trust (19-24)

David’s second declaration of trust is a shining example of how we should praise God.

David points to the goodness of God.

God is good to those that fear Him.

He has done good for those that trust Him.

How exactly?

He hides them.

He protects them.

Next, David blesses God for His kindness.

David had hastily accused God of abandoning him and ignoring him.

Nevertheless, God had heard David’s cry for help.

Finally, David directs his readers to love God.

God protects His people.

God rewards the proud according to their pride.

This Psalm should cause the stressed follower of God to take courage and be strong.

If your hope is in the Lord, He will not fail you.