Sunday Scripture

 

Again today for Sunday Scripture we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today we're looking at Psalm 31.  We were to zero in on verse 1, but I chose to SOAP verses 1-3.

S= "In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed.  Deliver me in Thy righteousness.

"Bow down Thine ear to me; deliver me speedily.  Be Thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.

"For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."  (Psalm 31:1-3)

O= In the Scofield study Bible,  C.I. Scofield titles Psalm 31 "A plea for God's protection." 

"Psalm 31 is one of David's exile Psalms.  He wrote it when Saul was chasing him through the rough hill country of Judah.  David was going from cave to cave and from hill to hill."  -- Warren Wiersbe

Psalm 31:1-3 is very similar to Psalm 71:1-3 --

"In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion.

"Deliver me in Thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Thine ear unto me, and save me.

"Be Thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort.  Thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress."

David commits himself to God in this beautiful, meaning-filled prayer:

• I put my trust in You, O LORD;

• Let me never be ashamed.

• Deliver me speedily in Your righteousness.

• Bow down Your ear to me; 

• Be my strong defense to save me.

• You are my rock and my fortress;

THEREFORE

• For Your name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Cross-reference for "Let me never be ashamed" -- "Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon Thee.  Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent to Sheol."  (Psalm 31:17)

Cross-reference for "in Thy righteousness" -- "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications; in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness."  (Psalm 143:1)

Cross-references for "my strong rock" -- "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."  (Psalm 18:2)

"I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust."  (Psalm 91:2)

Cross-reference for "for Thy name's sake" -- "He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  (Psalm 23:2)

A= I did something a little different with the application section this time.  It is mostly made up of quotes from various preachers and teachers of old.

  "In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust." "Nowhere else do I fly for shelter, let the tempest howl as it may.  The Psalmist has one refuge, and that the best one.  He casts out the great sheet anchor of his faith in the time of storm."  -- C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David

And as believers we may (and must) absolutely do the same!

"If David prays against being ashamed, let us strive against it.  Lovers of Jesus should be ashamed of being ashamed." -- Spurgeon

"Deliver me in Thy righteousness." "For supporting thy faith, mark well when it may safely rest; even upon God's righteousness, as well as upon His mercy ... For we may be well assured that what God's goodness, grace, and mercy moved him to promise, His truth, His faithfulness, and righteousness will move Him to perform."  -- William Gouge

"In praying that he may be delivered speedily, there is shown the greatness of his danger, as if he had said, All will soon be over with my life, unless God make haste to help me."  -- John Calvin

"We must not set times and seasons, yet in submission we may ask for swift as well as sure mercy.  God's mercies are often enhanced in value by the timely haste which He uses in their bestowal: if they came late they might be too late -- but He rides upon a cherub, and flies upon the wings of the wind when He intends the good of His beloved."  -- Spurgeon

Concerning the phrase "A house of defense to save me", F.B. Meyer writes: A house of defence.--Hidden with Christ in God, the believer, apparently defenceless, lives, walks and has his being within an impregnable defence. You go into the day enclosed in God just as God's life is enclosed in you."

What an amazing thought this is.  As believers, we go into each day enclosed in God!

"For Thou art my rock and my fortress." "The two personal pronouns, like sure nails, lay hold upon the faithfulness of the Lord.  O for grace to have our hearts fixed in firm unstaggering belief in God!" -- Spurgeon

"For Thy name's sake."  "Every step involves the honor of God.  We plead for His name's sake. If God should begin and not continue, or if He should carry on but not complete the work, all would admit that it was for some reason that must bring reproach on the Almighty.  This can never be." -- William S. Plumer

And we know from Philippians 1:6 that the One who began the good work in us promises to complete it!

P= "Lord, what a blessing it has been to look closely at these three verses!  I am so thankful that I can put my trust in You and that You are my strong rock and fortress, my house of defense.  You have been these things for me so many times!  You lead me and guide me every day; You deliver me in times of trouble. May I never be ashamed to share my faith and trust in You!  Help me to be more bold in sharing the truths of salvation and the Christian life with others who desperately need to know.  I praise You for all You'll do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: There is nothing that David trusts in, except God.  He was not ashamed of his faith but rather praised God day in and day out, no matter how hard his trials had become.

Do you struggle to let your faith in God be known?  Do you worry that God might not come through and somehow that will bring shame to yourself or God?  In what area of your life do you need to be more bold in your faith?

My response: I don't really struggle to let my faith in God be known.  In general I tend to be pretty vocal about my faith.  When I am hesitant, it's never because I worry that God might not come through.  It's more a concern, I guess, about my outspokenness negatively impacting my relationship with the person I'm trying to witness to.

As far as an area where I need to be more bold, I'd say it's in sharing the actual nuts-and-bolts of the gospel -- sharing the plan of salvation clearly and specifically.

And that wraps up our very simple study of Psalm 31:1-3.  Please dig deeper  into Psalm 31 for yourself for further encouragement!