Psalm 31
31 For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right.
2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress.
For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger
9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
Tears blur my eyes.
My body and soul are withering away.
my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
I am wasting away from within.32 A psalm Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term. ">* of David.
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, Greek version reads of sin. Compare Rom 4:7.
">*whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Interlude
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Interlude
6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory.
Interlude
8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
I haven't written in a while. I've been compromising my standards lately. Life becomes complicated. At the most crucial moment, suddenly God comes in the picture. I'm thinking "why I never thought of this earlier?" " Why must I turn to God in my peril and not stay with Him when things are good?" Have I taken His grace for granted. These two psalms opened my eyes.
In my deepest thoughts I am crying for help and I feel so close to Psalm 31. Psalm 32 is the joy expressed after receiving the forgiveness but I don't seem to feel it. You know that God has forgiven you but you still feel condemned? Strange.
I must live in the realm of forgiveness because if I am out of it, I'm depressed, condemned and will most likely sin again. Sin is a sin no matter small or big. I must confess my heart to Him. And I know that I'm forgiven no matter what.
