As David sings his prose of praise; we wonder what is going on in his life.  Enemies on all sides want to kill him and will say or do anything to get the job done; and we are humbled. Why? Because even though our troubles in our small part of the world burden us with discouragement, confusion and brokenness for a while; most of us are not being harassed and hunted down to be killed for being a person after the heart of God with a desire to do his will.  This does happen in countries where God is hated and all who love God are shunned by their families and often murdered for their faith. Yes, it still happens as it did in David’s life.  Pray for the persecuted!

Although David was grieved, his complete dedication to God caused him to thank God.  Throughout trials God provides a place of refuge. God provides stability in a broken world. God rescued David, His anointed time after time until he was sitting on the throne as the king leading God’s people.

David knew WHO to run to first! Do we?

Psalm 31, The Message

^1-2 I run to you, God; I run for dear life.
    Don’t let me down!
    Take me seriously this time!
Get down on my level and listen,
    and please—no procrastination!
Your granite cave a hiding place,
    your high cliff nest a place of safety.

^3-5 You’re my cave to hide in,
    my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
    be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
    I want to hide in you.
I’ve put my life in your hands.
    You won’t drop me,
    you’ll never let me down.

^6-13 I hate all this silly religion,
    but you, God, I trust.
I’m leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
    you saw my pain,
    you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn’t leave me in their clutches
    but gave me room to breathe.
Be kind to me, God—
    I’m in deep, deep trouble again.
I’ve cried my eyes out;
    I feel hollow inside.
My life leaks away, groan by groan;
    my years fade out in sighs.
My troubles have worn me out,
    turned my bones to powder.
To my enemies I’m a monster;
    I’m ridiculed by the neighbors.
My friends are horrified;
    they cross the street to avoid me.
They want to blot me from memory,
    forget me like a corpse in a grave,
    discard me like a broken dish in the trash.
The street-talk gossip has me
    “criminally insane”!
Behind locked doors they plot
    how to ruin me for good.

^14-18 Desperate, I throw myself on you:
    you are my God!
Hour by hour I place my days in your hand,
    safe from the hands out to get me.
Warm me, your servant, with a smile;
    save me because you love me.
Don’t embarrass me by not showing up;
    I’ve given you plenty of notice.
Embarrass the wicked, stand them up,
    leave them stupidly shaking their heads
    as they drift down to hell.
Gag those loudmouthed liars
    who heckle me, your follower,
    with jeers and catcalls.

^19-22 What a stack of blessing you have piled up
    for those who worship you,
Ready and waiting for all who run to you
    to escape an unkind world.
You hide them safely away
    from the opposition.
As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces,
    you silence the poisonous gossip.
Blessed God!
    His love is the wonder of the world.
Trapped by a siege, I panicked.
    “Out of sight, out of mind,” I said.
But you heard me say it,
    you heard and listened.

²³ Love God, all you saints;
    God takes care of all who stay close to him,
But he pays back in full
    those arrogant enough to go it alone.

²⁴ Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up.
    Expect God to get here soon.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Notice how often David begged God to act speedily and be to him a rock and a fortress. This was not necessarily a prayer of panic; but a prayer of trust in the One who is in charge!  David knew that God would know exactly what he needed most.  So, along with God’s protection, David prayed for God’s direction so he would avoid the traps the enemy had set for him.  David is praying for God’s wisdom as he trusts God in good times and in bad times.

“I’ve put my life in your hands.” Psalm 31:5, MSG
“Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.” Psalm 31:5, NIV

Warren Wiersbe writes;

“David’s prayer of commitment in verse 5 was quoted by our Lord from the cross (Luke 23:46 and Stephen in Acts 7:59). Peter also borrowed the idea (1 Pet. 4:19); the word he used is sometimes translated “trust,” which implies “to deposit in trust, as money in a bank.” Wiersbe Study Bible

Believers often say, “All the details of my life are in the Lord’s hands.” If you grew up on the southwest side of the Mississippi River, you would hear, “God willin’ and the creek don’t rise!”  This is the Old Testament version of Romans 8:28;

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

David trusted God to bring light into the darkness and truth into the sea of lies that was overwhelming himself and God’s people. Instead of the king being ashamed, David prayer for his enemies be ashamed when the Lord exposed their wickedness and defeated them.  For us, Romans 8:28 is a foundational Believer-in-Jesus promise who trusts God to works in all circumstances—both good and bad—for the ultimate spiritual good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It assures believers that, despite suffering or difficulty, God brings about ultimate, purposeful, and often redemptive outcomes.  Remember the verse in James we quoted yesterday?  God uses and even allows some troubles and trials to BUILD and mature our love, faith and trust in Him!

Do we trust Him in all circumstances?  Even when we do not understand, feel, or see what He is doing at the moment?  This is commitment is made step by step, day by day, moment by moment until we see our Savior face to face in all His glory. 

Who do you trust?  There are only two choices:

We either trust the God who created all and knows all our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows OR we trust evil who seeks to destroy us.

Who do you trust for Life?

Lord,

You have my attention!  I choose you because you chose me, died for my sins, rose again defeating death to give me hope and set me free to love you back. Thank you for schooling me in your love so that I can love others like you love me—wholly without conditions. Thank you for David’s songs of truth and encouragement to keep moving forward in our faith and trust in you.  Yes, I believe.

In Jesus Name, Amen