9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eyes are wasted with grief, I am wasted in soul and body.
Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones; He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat; His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ... And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
<To the chief music-maker on corded instruments, on the Sheminith. A Psalm. Of David.> O Lord, do not be bitter with me in your wrath; do not send punishment on me in the heat of your passion. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am wasted away: make me well, for even my bones are troubled.
<A Psalm. Of David. To keep in memory.> O Lord, be not bitter with me in your wrath; let not your hand be on me in the heat of your passion. For your arrows have gone into my flesh, and I am crushed under the weight of your hand. My flesh is wasted because of your wrath; and there is no peace in my bones because of my sin. For my crimes have gone over my head; they are like a great weight which is more than my strength. My wounds are poisoned and evil-smelling, because of my foolish behaviour. I am troubled, I am made low; I go weeping all the day. For my body is full of burning; all my flesh is unhealthy. I am feeble and crushed down; I gave a cry like a lion because of the grief in my heart. Lord, all my desire is before you; my sorrow is not kept secret from you. My heart goes out in pain, my strength is wasting away; as for the light of my eyes, it is gone from me.
For my soul is full of evils, and my life has come near to the underworld. I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help: My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care.
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Commentary on Psalms 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 31
Ps 31:1-24. 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.
1. Expresses the general tone of feeling of the Psalm.
2-4. He seeks help in God's righteous government (Ps 5:8), and begs for an attentive hearing, and speedy and effectual aid. With no other help and no claim of merit, he relies solely on God's regard to His own perfections for a safe guidance and release from the snares of his enemies. On the terms "rock," &c., (compare Ps 17:2; 18:2, 50; 20:6; 23:3; 25:21).
5, 6. commit my spirit—my life, or myself. Our Saviour used the words on the Cross [Lu 23:46], not as prophetical, but, as many pious men have done, as expressive of His unshaken confidence in God. The Psalmist rests on God's faithfulness to His promises to His people, and hence avows himself one of them, detesting all who revere objects of idolatry (compare De 32:21; 1Co 8:4).
7. hast known my soul, &c.—had regard to me in trouble.
8. shut me up … enemy—abandon to (1Sa 23:11).
large room—place of safety (compare Ps 18:19).
9, 10. mine eye, &c.—denotes extreme weakness (compare Ps 6:7).
grief—mingled sorrow and indignation (Ps 6:7).
soul and … belly—the whole person.
10. Though the effects ascribed to grief are not mere figures of speech—
spent … consumed—must be taken in the modified sense of wasted and decayed.
iniquity—or, suffering by it (see on Ps 40:12).
11. among—or, literally, "from," or, "by" my enemies. The latter clauses describe the progress of his disgrace to the lowest degree, till,
12. he is forgotten as one dead, and contemned as a useless broken vessel.
13. For—introduces further reasons for his prayer, the unjust, deliberate, and murderous purposes of his foes.
14-18. In his profession of trust he includes the terms of the prayer expressing it.
15. times—course of life.
deliver … hand—opposed to "shut me up," &c., of Ps 31:8.
16. Make … shine—(Compare Nu 6:25; Ps 4:6). Deprecating from himself, he imprecates on the wicked God's displeasure, and prays that their virulent persecution of him may be stopped.
19-21. God displays openly His purposed goodness to His people.
20. the secret of thy presence—or, covering of Thy countenance; the protection He thus affords; compare Ps 27:5 for a similar figure; "dwelling" used there for "presence" here. The idea of security further presented by the figure of a tent and a fortified city [Ps 31:21].
22. For I said—literally, "And I said," in an adversative sense. I, thus favored, was despondent.
in my haste—in my terror.
cut off … eyes—from all the protection of Thy presence.
23, 24. the Lord … proud doer—literally, "the Lord is keeping faith," that is, with His people, and is repaying, &c. Then let none despair, but take courage; their hopes shall not be in vain.