Psalm 31 Continued…
Psalm 31:16-20 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
In verse 16 the phrase, “Let you face shine on your servant,” is an allusion to the priestly benediction that is found in Numbers. Numbers 6:22-27: The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: ‘”The Lord bless you
and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” David is literally praying this prayer over himself. He is doing this to suppress the feelings of uncertainty that were no doubt plaguing him.
In verses 17-18 make no mistake that David is praying for the death of his enemies. This creates an interesting moral dilemma for the contemporary believer. Our Lord told us to “pray for our enemies” but did he have this idea in the scope of our prayers for our enemies? Is it ever appropriate to pray for the death of someone? I have prayed for the death of an individual who was experiencing an extended illness that would ultimately take their life. But I did not do so with ill intent. It was a prayer of mercy for the one who was suffering. But I can honestly say that I have never actually prayed for the death of those I considered my enemy. But I have also never been in a war, I have never been savagely pursued, I have never had frequent attempts to take my life. I have had a few threats at my life over the years, but nothing like David had experienced. I do not believe this contradicts the words of Christ, but it more in the spirit of what the apostle Paul stated about attempting to work out peace as far as it is possible with you. But there are times that peace is an impossibility. And obviously there are situations where praying for the death of an enemy may be warranted…albeit for most of us, this is not something we will most likely have to face.
In verse 19 David said, “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.” The newer NIV uses the phrase “good things” and it obscures the fact that this is a reference to God’s good character. This is an exclamation about how good our God is.
In verse 20, the phrase, “in the shelter of your presence” is a subtle reference to the tabernacle and God’s presence around the ark of the covenant. It is being in the presence of the Lord that the stresses, pulls, tragedies and pains of this world fade away. God’s presence keeps us from being overcome by whatever evil may attempt to assail us.
PRAY
Father keep me in your presence. When I have a propensity to stray, pull me back closer to you!