Salmos 31
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 31
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS There are so many Psalms where the author is seeking help from God against enemies. One wonders who are these enemies? why does the psalmist feel detached and attacked so often? were many of these written during the same period of the psalmist's life (probably David)? The psalmist faces several issues. personal sin and its mental and physical consequences (cf. Ps. 31:1-12) personal attacks by enemies neighbors acquaintances covenant partners family The actions of the enemies are characterized as trying to trap him in a net, Ps. 31:4 trying to get him to regard idols, Ps. 31:6 slandering him, Ps. 31:11,13,20 counseling together against him, Ps. 31:13,20 persecuting him, Ps. 31:15 having lying lips, Ps. 31:18 speaking arrogantly, Ps. 31:18 Many/most of the Psalms in Book One have similar themes and wording. This may reflect an unknown editing or compiling agenda. There was a purposeful structure to the different books of Psalms (see Introduction to the Psalter, VI) but moderns are not sure what it was.
Salmos 31:1-5
31:1-5 Notice the very personal way the author addresses YHWH. Notice the number of personal PRONOUNS. Biblical faith is a personal trust in a personal God. It is not initially about a creed or even a moral code but about a personal encounter! That encounter changes everything! All else is based on it. SPECIAL TOPIC: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "RECEIVE," "BELIEVE," "CONFESS/PROFESS," AND "CALL UPON"? ▣ This strophe has several prayer requests. Let me never be ashamed ‒ BDB 101, KB 116, Qal COHORTATIVE; this shame could be connected to David's sin (cf. Psalm 32; 51) or others' attack on his reputation or motives, cf. Ps. 25:2-3,20; 31:1,17; 35:26; 69:6; 119:6,46,78,80. Shame sometimes means abandonment by YHWH (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 621-627). Deliver me ‒ BDB 812, KB 930, Piel IMPERATIVE Incline Your ear to me ‒ BDB 639, KB 692, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 17:6; 71:2; 86:1; 88:2; 102:2 Rescue me ‒ BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil IMPERATIVE Be my rock ‒ BDB 224, KB 243, Qal IMPERATIVE Lead me ‒ BDB 634, KB 685, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Psalm 23 Guide me ‒ BDB 624, KB 675, Hiphil IMPERFECT, cf. Psalm 23 Pull me out of their net — BDB 422, KB 425, Hiphil IMPERFECT His prayer requests are based on he has committed himself to YHWH, Ps. 31:5 YHWH has ransomed him, Ps. 31:5 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM) YHWH is his strength, Ps. 31:4 YHWH is the God of truth/faithfulness, Ps. 31:5 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT) 31:1 "refuge" This alludes to a strong hiding place of safety and security. See note at Ps. 2:12. SPECIAL TOPIC: REFUGE ↻ "ashamed" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME. ▣ "righteousness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS. 31:2 "Your ear" This is anthropomorphic language to descrdibe an eternal, holy, spiritual Deity. The only vocabulary humans have is fallen physical cultural SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN ▣ "rock" See note at Ps. 18:2. There are two different Hebrew words translated in Ps. 31:2 ‒ BDB 700 in Ps. 31:3 ‒ BDB 849 both refer to a place of stability, protection, and security (cf. Deut. 32:4,15,18,30) 31:3 "fortress" See note at Ps. 18:2. ▣ "For Your name's sake" See notes at Psalm 23:3 and 25:11. It represents YHWH's character. SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD 31:3-4 Notice the series of IMPERFECTS that speak of continuous, ongoing actions. lead ‒ BDB 634, KB 685, Hiphil IMPERFECT guide ‒ BDB 624, KB 675, Piel IMPERFECT pull out ‒ BDB 422, KB 425, Hiphil IMPERFECT 31:4 "net" This was an instrument of hunting (BDB 440). It came to be used figuratively of hurting or capturing humans (cf. Ps. 9:15; 10:9; 35:7-8; 57:6; 140:5). The psalmist's enemies are secretly planning his destruction. 31:5 "into Your hand I commit my spirit" This was quoted by Jesus on the cross just before His death (cf. Luke 23:46). This VERB (BDB 823, KB 955, Hiphil IMPERFECT) has a wide semantic field. Here it denotes an ongoing trust. This trust is based on who God is (i.e., "God of truth," "faithful God"), not the merits of the psalmist. ▣ "hand" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND. ▣ "spirit" This is the Hebrew word ruah (BDB 924). Here it is the unseen life force connected to YHWH breathing life into Adam in Gen. 2:7. When it leaves the body that body goes to the holding place of the dead (Sheol). SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD? I. B. SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE SPECIAL TOPIC: BREATH, WIND, SPIRIT (רוח and pneuma)
Salmos 31:6-8
31:6-8 This strophe is dominated by PERFECTS that denote a complete or settled condition. I hate those who regard vain idols ‒ BDB 971, KB 1338, Qal PERFECT. The intensity of the psalmist's requests for YHWH to judge is based on his worldview (i.e., viewing the world as YHWH's agent). He hates those who break or ignore YHWH's covenant. The LXX has "You hate." (i.e., Ps. 139:19-22) I trust in YHWH ‒ BDB 105, KB 120, Qal PERFECT; this is a recurrent theme, cf. Ps. 4:5; 13:5; 25:2; 26:1; 28:7; 31:6,14; 52:8; 56:3,4,11; 91:2. If "fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge" (cf. Prov. 1:7), then trust is the key to knowing Him personally. YHWH sees his affliction ‒ BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal PERFECT (cf. Exod. 3:7-8) YHWH knows his trouble ‒ BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT (see SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW) YHWH has not given him into the hands of his enemy ‒ BDB 688, KB 742, Hiphil PERFECT YHWH has set his feet in a large place ‒ BDB 763, KB 840, Hiphil PERFECT, cf. Ps. 18:19; 118:5; a large place is the opposite of a narrow place/strait, which is an idiom of distress (cf. Ps. 4:1; 18:19; 118:5) 31:6 NASB, NKJV, REV, JPSOA, Peshitta "I hate. . ." LXX, NJB, NRSV, TEV "You hate. . ." The UBS Text Project, p. 210, gives "I" a "C" rating (uncertain). I hate, שׁנאתי you hate, שׁנאת Both fit the context. 31:7 This verse has two Qal COHORTATIVES. I will rejoice ‒ BDB 162, KB 189 I will be glad ‒ BDB 970, KB 1333 ▣ "lovingkindness" NKJV, LXX, Peshitta "mercy" "steadfast love" "constant love" "faithful love" "unfailing love" "faithfulness" All of these English translations are trying to express the essence of the powerful covenant NOUN, hesed. It denotes YHWH's unbreakable commitment to the covenant. SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED) ▣ "You have seen. . .You have known" What a wondeful truth! YHWH knows what His faithful follower is going through, both individually and corporately (cf. Exod. 2:25; 3:7; Neh. 9:9; Isa 63:9; Acts 7:34).
Salmos 31:9-13
31:9-13 This strophe uses parts of the human body to express the psalmist's distress (BDB 865 II). eye (BDB 744), Ps. 31:9, cf. Ps. 6:7; 38:10 soul (BDB 659), Ps. 31:9 (i.e., nephesh, see note at Ps. 3:2 and Gen. 35:18; SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH) body (BDB 105), Ps. 31:9,10 body (lit. "bones," BDB 782), Ps. 31:10 Stress (like sin, cf. Ps. 31:10c; Psalm 32, 51) causes physical manifestations. sorrow sighing failure of strength bones wasting away (VERB, BDB 799, KB 898, Qal PERFECT, is used twice in this context, Ps. 31:9 and 10 and only one other time in the OT, cf. Ps. 6:7) More and more modern medicine is understanding the link between the mind and the body. They are a unity (cf. Ps. 31:12). 31:10 NASB, JPSOA, NKJV "my iniquity" LXX, Peshitta "in poverty" REB, NJB, NRSV "my misery" "my troubles" The UBS Text Project, p. 211, gives "iniquity" a "C" rating (uncertain). my iniquity ‒ בעוני my misery ‒ בעני 31:11 The slander and distress, which have had such physical consequences, also bring social consequences (similar to Job's experience). I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors. I have become an object of dread to my acquaintances. People flee from me. I am forgotten (out of mind) as a dead man. 31:13 This verse describes the actions of his adversaries. they slander him (i.e., their false words are the next line, "terror on every side", BDB 159, cf. Jer. 6:25; 46:5; Lam. 2:22) they counsel against him they schemed (BDB 273, cf. Ps. 37:12) to take his life (parallel to #2) In light of these actions, the IMPERATIVE "be gracious to me, O Lord" of Ps. 31:9 is understandable (BDB 336, KB 334, Qal IMPERATIVE)!
Salmos 31:14-18
31:14-18 This strophe has numerous emphatic prayer requests based on the psalmist's trust in YHWH (Qal PERFECT, cf. Ps. 31:6), Ps. 31:14 YHWH is his God, Ps. 31:14 his life is in YHWH's hand, Ps. 31:15 Here are the requests. deliver me ‒ BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 7:2; 18:17; 22:20; 31:2; 39:8; 51:14; 59:1; 69:14; 109:21; 119:170; 120:2; 142:6; 143:9; 144:7,11; this is the cry of the faithful follower's heart, deliverance from the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of life in a fallen world make Your face shine on me ‒ BDB 21, KB 24, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Num. 6:25-26; Ps. 4:6; 67:1; 80:3,7,19; 119:135 save me in Your lovingkidness ‒ BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, many times in the Psalms let me not be put to shame ‒ BDB 101, KB 116, Qal COHORTATIVE let the wicked be put to shame ‒ BDB 101, KB 116, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let them be silent in Sheol ‒ BDB 198, KB 226, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let the lying lips be dumb ‒ BDB 47, KB 57, Niphal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense 31:16 "Make Your face to shine upon Your servant" This is imagery of YHWH's personal presence and knowledge of His servant's situation. This idiom comes from the Aaronic prayer of Num. 6:24-26 (cf. Ps. 4:6; 80:3,7,19). For "servant" see SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT 31:17 "shame" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME ▣ "Sheol" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEOL 31:15 "My times are in Your hand" Faithful followers believe that time and eternity are in God's foreknowledge and control. Nothing surprises Him (cf. Job 14:5,16; 28:24; 31:4; 34:21; Ps. 139:1-16, esp. Ps. 31:16). 31:17 Notice the contrast. the psalmist speaks to God the wicked are silent (i.e., dead) or else they speak arrogantly with pride and contempt same as #2 You can know people by what they say (cf. Matt. 12:35-37). The tongue reveals the heart! 31:18 "the righteous" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Salmos 31:19-22
31:19-22 This strophe describes YHWH's "goodness" (BDB 375, cf. Ps. 145:7). Probably this strophe is to be understood after YHWH has answered the psalmist's prayer requests found early in the psalm. It is stored up for those who fear YHWH. It is for those who take refuge in YHWH. YHWH hides His people in a secret place of His presence in a shelter/pavilion YHWH made His lovingkindness marvelous to the psalmist. YHWH heard his supplications. 31:19 "Before the sons of men" Not only does YHWH defend and protect, but He acknowledges our special relationship to Him before our enemies (cf. Ps. 23:5). ▣ "fear" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR (OT). ▣ "refuge" See SPECIAL TOPIC: REFUGE. 31:20 The secret place is the inner (or back) shrine of the temple/tabernacle (cf. Ps. 27:5). This was a special place where the personal presence of YHWH was manifested (i.e., ark of the covenant). 31:21 "the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. ▣ "lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS. ▣ "in a besieged city" Although we do not know the historical setting of this Psalm, this phrase seems to be metaphorical. It describes a person who feels surrounded by wicked, evil, lying people (i.e., "terror on every side," v. 13). Even though the psalmist feels isolated, he believes YHWH hears and will act on his behalf. The UBS Text Project (p. 213) gives this reading an "A" rating versus "through distress," found in NEB. The JPSOA translates this phrase as if it characterized why YHWH should be "blessed," Ps. 31:21a. He is strong and unchanging (i.e., "a veritable bastion"). The Jewish Study Bible margin links this to YHWH as "a rock of strength," "a stronghold," "a crag" (i.e., rock), and "a fortress" in Ps. 31:2-3 (p. 1316). 31:22 "I am cut off from before Your eyes" The Jewish Study Bible (p. 1316) interprets this phrase as meaning "absent from the temple" (i.e., 2 Chr. 26:21, where the same phrasing is used of Uzziah being unable, as a leper, to go into the temple). The Niphal form of this VERB (BDB 173, KB 202) is found only here in the OT.
Salmos 31:23-24
31:23-24 As is true so often in the Psalms, the last strophe is a warning an admonition a corporate prayer Here it is #2. The first VERBS of both verses are PLURAL IMPERATIVES. love YHWH ‒ BDB 12, KB 17, Qal IMPERATIVE; usually this VERB refers to YHWH's love or is SINGULAR of the psalmist's love be strong ‒ BDB 304, KB 302, Qal IMPERATIVE; it is followed by a synonym, BDB 54, KB 5, Hiphil JUSSIVE (Hebrew parallelism) 31:23 "His godly ones" This refers to faithful followers (cf. Ps. 30:4; 37:28; 50:5), not angels (cf. Ps. 29:1). ▣ The life experiences (and afterlife experiences) of the faithful ‒ BDB 52 I the proud doer ‒ BDB 793 I, KB 889, Qal PARTICIPLE CONSTRUCT BDB 144 are constrasted. preserved ‒ BDB 665, KB 718, Qal PARTICIPLE recompensed ‒ BDB 1022, KB 1521, Piel PARTICIPLE 31:24 What a wonderful admonition for all faithful followers (cf. Ps. 27:14; 37:34; 62:5; 130:5; Isa. 25:9)!