Psalm 31 Intro

Psalm 31 Intro

Standing alone     

As we begin our study of this Psalm, we need to remember that David was king of a powerful nation, he was not some small-time intermediary who never hit the headlines; what had happened under his command, in Israel, had made the front pages! The nation had extended its borders, built a powerful army, driven out the pagan nations and become increasingly wealthy. The Israelites were hated by peoples who surrounded them just as the Hebrews / Jews have always been hated. The trouble was not only external; throughout his reign David experienced threats and sub plots and take-over schemes from various sources within his own country. Psalm 31 seems to have been written at a time when one of these conspiracies had hatched, such was its pernicious nature that all of his friends had deserted him and he found himself alone and facing overwhelming odds. So, this Psalm is a call to stand firm, to trust God in impossible circumstances, to not back down when anti-Christian forces are amassed against us. So powerful are the sentiments expressed here that we find Jesus recalling this song as He suffered at the cross while all of His enemies, spiritual and human, reviled Him. Let’s walk through this Psalm together and find out what the Lord God would teach us about those times when all the world seems to be against us!

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