Psalms 31:21

_BLESSED BE THE LORD: FOR HE HATH SHEWED ME HIS MARVELLOUS KINDNESS IN A STRONG CITY._ Strong city. Yahweh Himself, with His almighty protection, is the "strong city" (Psalms 46:1; Psalms 46:11). Thus, this last verse of the third strophe corresponds to the first verse of the first strophe, Psalms 31:2 (cf. Jeremiah 18:1)....

21._Blessed be Jehovah! _These general truths the Psalmist here proceeds to apply to his own circumstances, and he declares that the goodness of God in preserving his life was wondrously displayed. As he speaks of aid which had been suddenly and unexpectedly afforded him in very desperate circumstances, those interpreters judge aright who here supply _as, _the mark of similitude, (653) in this way, _as in a fortified city _David lay open to every blow, and had been exposed to every sort of injury, and he boasts that in his nakedness and destitution the assistance of God had been of greater service to him than a city well fortified, or an impregnable fortress would have been....

19-24 Instead of yielding to impatience or despondency under our troubles, we should turn our thoughts to the goodness of the Lord towards those who fear and trust in Him. All comes to sinners through the wondrous gift of the only-begotten Son of God, to be the atonement for their sins. Let not any yield to unbelief, or think, under discouraging circumstances, that they are cut off from before the eyes of the Lord, and left to the pride of men. Lord, pardon our complaints and fears; increase our faith, patience, love, and gratitude; teach us to rejoice in tribulation and in hope. The deliverance of Christ, with the destruction of his enemies, ought to strengthen and comfort the hearts of believers under all their afflictions here below, that having suffered courageously with their Master, they may triumphantly enter into his joy and glory...

Verse Psalms 31:21. _IN A STRONG CITY._] If this Psalm was written by David, this must refer to his taking refuge with _Achish, king of Gath_, who gave him _Ziklag_, a fortified city, to secure himself and followers in. See 1 Samuel 27:6. This is more likely than that it was _Keilah_, where he only had intimation of the traitorous design of the inhabitants to deliver him up to Saul; so that the place was no refuge to him, howsoever fortified. Perhaps the passage may mean that, under the protection of God, he was as safe as if he had been in a fortified city....

BLESSED BE THE LORD - An expression of thanksgiving for the evidence that God had heard him in his troubles, and had answered him. FOR HE HATH SHOWED ME HIS MARVELOUS KINDNESS - literally, “He has made his mercy wonderful;” that is, he has showed me such mercy as to be an object of admiration and astonishment. It was not ordinary kindness, such as is shown to people every day; it was so uncommon - so far beyond all expectation - so separate from second causes and the agency of man - so marked in its character - as to fill the mind with wonder. IN A STRONG CITY - Margin, “fenced city.” This may mean either that he had thus placed him literally in a strongly fortified city where he was safe from the fear of his enemies; or, that he had interposed in his behalf, and had given him protection as if he had brought him into such a strongly fortified place. Jarchi sup

EXPOSITION THIS psalm is, in the main, a cry for deliverance out of pressing danger and trouble; but it is interspersed with passages of a more cheerful tone, expressive of faith and confidence (Psalms 31:5, Psalms 31:14,_ _Psalms 31:15); and it winds up with a eulogy of God's goodness (Psalms 31:19), and an exhortation to the saints of God to "be strong," and trust in him. The title declares it to be David's; and it both breathes his spirit, and has many of his turns of expression. It has been thought to belong to the period of his early persecution by Saul; but, on the whole, it seems rather su

BLESSED [BE] THE LORD,.... A form of thanksgiving, in which the psalmist calls upon himself and others to bless and praise the Lord for the singular mercy granted him, expressed in the next clause; Psalms 18:46; FOR HE HATH SHOWED ME HIS MARVELLOUS KINDNESS IN A STRONG CITY; either in the city Keilah, so Jarchi; a city which had gates and bars, where Saul thought he had David safe, and he could not escape his hands; but notwithstanding that, and though the inhabitants of that place intended to deliver him up, yet he was marvellously saved; as he also was from the Ziphites; and when Saul and his army had encompassed him about, by a surprising incident, a messenger coming to Saul just as he was about to seize him, informing him that the Philistines had invaded the land,...

Psalms 31:1. _In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust;_ Can we say as much as that? However else this Psalm of David may end, it strikes a grand key-note, that which should be the first indication of our spiritual life, confidence in God. Here is an ancient weather-beaten saint who, in the very midst of the storm, can say, «In thee, O Jehovah, do I put my trust.» There will the anchor of his soul find a sure hold. Psalms 31:1. _Let me never be ashamed:_ «How canst thou let me be put to shame after having trusted in thee, O my God? I shall be ashamed, if thou dost forsake me, if thy promises be not kept to me, O my Lord! Therefore, ‘let me never be ashamed.'» Psalms 31:1. Deliver

Psalms 31 The Enemies of Israel and the Victory _ 1. The prayer for deliverance (Psalms 31:1)_ 2. The victory (Psalms 31:19) Psalms 31:1. Many saints have turned to this Psalm for encouragement in time of trouble and sorrow. And there is much in it which helps the trusting soul. Notice the different names of Jehovah--my rock--my house of defense--my strong rock--my fortress--my strength--God of truth. But like the previous Psalms this one also unfolds prophetically the sufferings of the remnant of Israel during the last days of this age. Yet likewise we may think of Him who endured the contradiction of sinne

XXXI. Prayer in distress strangely intermingled with such confidence in God that the deliverance seems to be already accomplished. PSALMS 31:1_ A_. Recurs with textual variants in Psalms 71:1. Psalms 31:5. The poet commends his spirit to God, that God may preserve it from death. In Luke 22:46 the application is different. TRUTH: _i.e._ faithfulness. Psalms 31:15. The crises of life are in the hands of Yahweh, and Israel has, therefore, no room for such comfort as, _e.g.,_ astrology....