10 For my life hath been consumed in sorrow And my years in sighing. Feeble because of mine iniquity hath been my strength, And my bones have become old.
When I have kept silence, become old have my bones, Through my roaring all the day. When by day and by night Thy hand is heavy upon me, My moisture hath been changed Into the droughts of summer. Selah.
For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned. Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread. From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh. I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places. I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof. All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me. Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled, From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down. My days as a shadow `are' stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered. And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations. Thou -- Thou risest -- Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come. For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour. And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour, For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour, He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer. This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah. For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively, To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death, To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem, In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms -- to serve Jehovah. He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days. I say, `My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations `are' Thine years. Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands `are' the heavens. They -- They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed. And Thou `art' the same, and Thine years are not finished. The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!
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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.