Day 58

Psalm 31: Read here – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031&version=NASB

This is a psalm of undulating emotions, where the writer feels sheltered in times of trouble, but not delivered. That this poem was dedicated to the chief musician proves that public singing does not always have to be praise. Here we find alternate strains of grief and woe. It is the cry of a needy soul that resonates with deep and personal trust in God in the depths of difficulty. Most of us rise and fall in our experience.

An interesting feature of this Psalm is that it is often quoted in other passages of Scripture.

• The author of Psalm 71 (possibly David himself) quotes the first three verses of Psalm 31 in his introduction.
• Jonah seems to quote Psalm 31:6 in Jonah 2:8; his prayer from the belly of the great fish.
• Jeremiah quoted Psalm 31:13 six times, in Jeremiah 6:25; 20:3; 20:10; 46:5; 49:29, and Lamentations 2:22.
• Paul quoted Psalm 31:24 in 1 Corinthians 16:13 (this is clearer in the Septuagint –Greek translation of the OT).
• Most significantly, Psalm 31:5 was quoted by Jesus Christ on the cross as His final words before yielding His life (Luke 23:46). Stephen, the first martyr of the church, also alluded to Psalm 31:5 (Acts 7:59).

The fact that Jesus quoted from this Psalm (v5) on the cross (as He did Psalm 22) indicates that He was meditating on memorized scripture while going through His ordeal. This should be an example to us. Because of that, read this psalm through the mind of Jesus from the cross. The fact that He quoted from it must have meant it was going through His mind.

E.g. notice(highlight) in v1-5 the words ‘rock’, ‘refuge’, ’fortress’, ’my strength.’ In a different colour highlight: ‘deliver me,’ ‘rescue me’, ‘save me,’ ‘led me,’ and ‘guide me,’ NB v4,7,8,9,11-13, 14-18 Did these verses drift through His mind? I think so. The mighty word ‘Chesed’ appears 3 times in this Psalm: v7,16 & 21. God’s unfailing, everlasting, covenant faithfulness of lovingkindness!

From v19 – 24 the psalm turns to triumph.

After mentally drifting through this psalm, Jesus uttered verbally V5 – but not the second half because He WAS the redeemer.