Psalms 31: Into Your Hand I Commit
Hunted and wasting away with grief, David flees to Yahweh as his rock and fortress and entrusts his very spirit to the God of truth.
Psalms 31 (WEB)
1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me.
3 For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.
5 Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.
6 I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.
8 You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.
9 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, A fear to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.
12 I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.
13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.
17 Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.
19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!
20 In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.
21 Praise be to Yahweh, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.
22 As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.
23 Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh.
Psalms 31 (KJV)
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.
Psalms 31 (ASV)
1 In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge; Let me never be put to shame: Deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear unto me; deliver me speedily: Be thou to me a strong rock, A 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 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; For thou art my stronghold.
5 Into thy hand I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Jehovah, thou God of truth.
6 I hate them that regard lying vanities; But I trust in Jehovah.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy lovingkindness; For thou hast seen my affliction: Thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8 And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a large place.
9 Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah, for I am in distress: Mine eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my body.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, And my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And my bones are wasted away.
11 Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, Yea, unto my neighbors exceedingly, 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 defaming of many, Terror on every side: While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Jehovah: 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 in thy lovingkindness.
17 Let me not be put to shame, O Jehovah; for I have called upon thee: Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be dumb, Which speak against the righteous insolently, With pride and contempt.
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, Which thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in thee, Before the sons of men!
20 In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them from the plottings of man: Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be Jehovah; For he hath showed me his marvellous lovingkindness in a strong city.
22 As for me, 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 Oh love Jehovah, all ye his saints: Jehovah preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth him that dealeth proudly.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All ye that hope in Jehovah.
Summary
This is a psalm of lament and trust, woven together as David cries out from the middle of distress. He begins by taking refuge in Yahweh, asking to be delivered in God's righteousness and pleading that he never be put to shame. Surrounded by enemies who have hidden a net for him, David commits his spirit into God's hand and declares him the rock, the fortress, and the God of truth. The middle of the psalm sinks into raw grief: his eye and soul and body waste away, his neighbors despise him, and he is forgotten like a dead man, like broken pottery. Yet again and again he turns back to confidence, saying, "You are my God," and "My times are in your hand." He marvels at the great goodness God has stored up for those who fear him, hidden safely in the shelter of God's presence. The psalm closes by urging all the saints to love Yahweh and to take courage. On the cross, Jesus prayed verse five, making this lament of trust his own, so that every believer can entrust life and death into the Father's hand.
Voices
- David — The hunted psalmist who pours out grief and fear yet repeatedly returns to trust, committing his spirit into God's hand.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The rock, fortress, and God of truth who hides his own in the shelter of his presence and stores up goodness for those who fear him.
- The adversaries — The many enemies who slander, conspire, and lay secret nets, spreading terror on every side.
- Jesus the Son — The one who took this prayer to the cross, commending his spirit to the Father and showing us how to die in trust.
Key Verse
Psalm 31:5 (WEB)
Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.
Lessons Learned
- Faith and lament belong together; David grieves honestly while still calling God his rock.
- Our times are in God's hand, not in the grip of our enemies or our fears.
- To take refuge in God is to commit our very life and breath into his keeping.
- God stores up hidden goodness for those who fear him, often unseen until the trial is past.
- Refuge begins with trust, not with rescue. Before any deliverance comes, David says, "In you, Yahweh, I take refuge" (Psalm 31:1, WEB). Faith leans on God's character ahead of God's answer.
- We can entrust our whole life to God. "Into your hand I commend my spirit" (Psalm 31:5, WEB) hands everything—body, soul, and future—to the God of truth, the very words Jesus prayed in death.
- Our times rest in sovereign hands. "My times are in your hand" (Psalm 31:15, WEB) means no enemy can shorten or seize a life that God is holding.
- God hides his own in his presence. "In the shelter of your presence you will hide them" (Psalm 31:20, WEB). The safest place from the strife of tongues is nearness to God himself.
- Courage is commanded to the waiting. "Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh" (Psalm 31:24, WEB). Hope in God is the soil where courage grows.
- How does David hold grief and trust together in the same psalm?
- What does it mean to "commend" your spirit into God's hand (verse 5)?
- How does the truth that "my times are in your hand" (verse 15) change the way we face danger?
- Why does David call others to love Yahweh and take courage at the psalm's end?
- What burden could you place "into God's hand" this week, trusting that your times are his?
- David never pretends he is fine; he describes wasting away, slander, and isolation (31:9-13). Yet the same psalm declares God his rock and refuge. Lament is not the opposite of faith—here it is an act of faith, spoken toward God rather than away from him.
- To commend his spirit is to hand his whole life and breath to God for safekeeping (31:5). Jesus prayed these very words from the cross (Luke 23:46), so the verse becomes a model for trusting God in living and in dying alike.
- If our times are in God's hand (31:15), then no enemy controls the length of our days. This frees us from frantic self-protection and lets us face threats knowing the One who holds us is faithful and sovereign.
- Having tasted God's marvelous loving kindness (31:21), David turns outward to encourage the saints (31:23-24). Genuine experience of God's rescue naturally overflows into urging others to love him and to wait with courage.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name, even silently, one fear or burden they are gripping tightly, and to picture handing it into God's hand. As leader, keep the tone gentle and unhurried; trust is learned slowly.