1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust;
let me never be ashamed:
deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily:
be thou my strong rock,
for an house of defence to save me.
3 For thou art my rock and my fortress;
therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me:
for thou art my strength.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit:
thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities:
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy:
for thou hast considered my trouble;
thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy:
thou hast set my feet in a large room.
9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble:
mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing:
my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies,
but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance:
they that did see me without fled from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind:
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many:
fear was on every side:
while they took counsel together against me,
they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord:
I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand:
deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant:
save me for thy mercies 'sake.
17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee:
let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence;
which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee;
which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee
before the sons of men!
20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man:
thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord:for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes:
nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints:
for the Lord preserveth the faithful,
and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that hope in the Lord.
==========
Comments by Joan Boney
The only hope we have is in God. And when we hope in God that is enough.
The people of the world run about doing nonsense and they trouble us with their works and with their wisdom.
But God has had mercy on us and has redeemed us to HIMSELF, separating us to HIMSELF, and giving us HIS wisdom which is real.
Attempt to live in HIS peace.
Psalm 31 ... 13 ... they devised to take away my life.
By their plans, they would steal "my life" ... My life in is Christ, the Word, and in HIS assignment for me ... They have no idea I have a life. I look dead to them, doing nothing, going nowhere, having no plans, ... in their eyes, I have nothing to look forward to ... their plans, in their view, would give me something to look forward to ...
Col. 3 ... 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
The things they plan would cause me to leave "my life", thus taking away my life if I went with them that day.
One woman sent me a note telling me of a 60th high school reunion she had planned. She listed several dead people in "memorium" from our class. 6 are dead. There were only 12 or 13 people in our class to begin with. One is in Alzheimer's home in Houston. Subtracting 7 leaves approximately 5 or 6 remaining.
To attend this dinner, I would have to drive 100 miles. I would have to leave my home. I would have to go out and buy proper clothing. I would be doing all this to be with people who did not show a caring at all to hear about God and HIS works. They want to renew the works of man and works of the past.
Of course, I wouldn't do this. My life is here in my home, reading Bible and talking with you through the writings printed on our blog. I love that! It is my life, talking about God and HIS works.
So you see how "they devised to take away my life" ... Psalm 31 ...
They have no idea they do any evil in their plans. They think their plans to be a good thing. But I know what is good because I belong to God.
They do not realize my life is in the Word of God which HE renews daily as I read HIS word. He gives me food daily from HIS word. I have continual action daily through what HE says. But they can't see my life. To them I do nothing and have no life.
==========
Psalm 31 ...
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee;
which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee
before the sons of men!
20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man:
thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
pride of man:
- clothing/ dressing up to go out
- achievement of man ... past exploits to exalt man
- list of daily works which cause one to seem busy and seem to be accomplishing something daily
To them, I look like an old woman doing nothing important. I don't go on trips. I don't dress up and go out with them. I have no plans for the future. I have nothing to look forward to.
==========
They cannot see I have everything that is worthwhile!
And I'm trying to hold onto that which is worthwhile. Therefore I resist their plans!
Psalm 31:23 ... the Lord preserveth the faithful,
Preserves:
- keeps us for future use
- keeps us for HIS use
- keeps us from being worn out needlessly by worldly activities and worldly visiting