Read
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
A Prayer for Protection
1I come to you, Lord,
for protection.
Don't let me be ashamed.
Do as you have promised
and rescue me.
2Listen to my prayer
and hurry to save me.
Be my mighty rock
and the fortress
where I am safe.
3You, Lord God,
are my mighty rock
and my fortress.
Lead me and guide me,
so that your name
will be honored.
4Protect me from hidden traps
and keep me safe.
5 You are faithful,
and I trust you
because you rescued me.
6I hate the worshipers
of worthless idols,
but I trust you, Lord.
7I celebrate and shout
because you are kind.
You saw all my suffering,
and you cared for me.
8You kept me from the hands
of my enemies,
and you set me free.
9Have pity, Lord!
I am hurting and almost blind.
My whole body aches.
10I have known only sorrow
all my life long, and I suffer
year after year.
I am weak from sin,
and my bones are limp.
11My enemies insult me.
Neighbors are even worse,
and I disgust my friends.
People meet me on the street,
and they turn and run.
12I am completely forgotten
like someone dead.
I am merely a broken dish.
13I hear the crowds whisper,
“Everyone is afraid!”
They are plotting and scheming
to murder me.
14But I trust you, Lord,
and I claim you as my God.
15My life is in your hands.
Save me from enemies
who hunt me down.
16Smile on me, your servant.
Have pity and rescue me.
17I pray only to you.
Don't disappoint me.
Disappoint my cruel enemies
until they lie silent
in their graves.
18Silence those proud liars!
Make them stop bragging
and insulting your people.
19You are wonderful,
and while everyone watches,
you store up blessings for all
who honor and trust you.
20You are their shelter
from harmful plots,
and you are their protection
from vicious gossip.
21I will praise you, Lord,
for showing great kindness
when I was like a city
under attack.
22I was terrified and thought,
“They've chased me
far away from you!”
But you answered my prayer
when I shouted for help.
23 All who belong to the Lord,
show how you love him.
The Lord protects the faithful,
but he severely punishes
everyone who is proud.
24All who trust the Lord,
be cheerful and strong.
Reflect
“Worship is the appropriate place for us to bring our greatest grief and deepest suffering into the presence of God.” I read the words, by author J. David Pleins in his book The Psalms: Songs of Tragedy, Hope and Justice, with a touch of incredulity. He can’t be serious! I thought.
Say the word “worship,” and visions of people—heads bowed in reverent prayer, or arms raised in joyful singing—flood to my mind. Not of people prostrate, weeping before God, or lying silent, too spent of tears or filled with despair to make a sound.
And yet, the psalms themselves speak otherwise, for they composed the songs and prayers of ancient Israel, a foundation upon which the nation’s public worship was built. And Psalm 31 gives ample evidence of grief and suffering.
“I come to you, LORD, for protection. Don’t let me be ashamed,” the psalmist prays. In other words, “Please God! Be faithful! I need you!”
As the prayer unfolds, the psalmist—said to be David—alternates between such beseeching entreaties, with proclaiming his trust in God, and voicing despair. His physical body is suffering. He is the object of insult and derision, a target for the disgust of friends, neighbours and enemies alike. “Crowds” are plotting his death.
And yet, in spite of his devastating circumstances, there is something about the process of bringing them before God that heals the psalmist’s wounded spirit. The final verses of the prayer are the words of a worshipper who has been strengthened by his time in God’s presence, and verse 24 sounds a triumphant note: “All who trust the LORD, be cheerful and strong.”
Psalm 31 reassures that as we offer up prayers of raw honesty, God can be trusted to use them for our good and for His glory.
Respond
God my redeemer, you can make all things new. When I am burdened with problems and pain, help me remember I can lay them before you, knowing that in all things, you will work for the good of those who love you. For I ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.
Patricia Paddey
Patricia Paddey has worked with Canada’s mainstream media in positions at the CBC, CTV and The CNW Group. Since 1998, she has managed a thriving freelance business, creating print, broadcast and online content for Christian media and non-profit organizations. An award-winning writer, she has been published in a wide array of Canadian publications. With an undergraduate degree in Radio and Television Arts, she is pursuing an Master of Theological Studies part-time, and works as Director of Communications for Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto.