Psalm 31 Overview
In YHWH's Hand
Psalm 31
Welcome to the Overview of Psalm 31
This page will introduce and provide orientation to Psalm 31 as a whole. It includes the following sections:
Introduction to Psalm 31
Author:
Purpose:
- To encourage others to trust YHWH despite dire circumstances.
Content:
- YHWH, I am in a shameful state, but I trust you to rescue me. Though my enemies try to surround me, I know you protect those who take refuge in you.
Message:
- Trust YHWH! His people aren't forgotten, but sheltered in him!
Psalm 31 At-a-Glance
These sections divide the content of the psalm into digestible pieces , and are determined based on information from many of our layers, including Semantics, Poetics, and Discourse. The columns, left to right, contain: the verse numbers; the main title of the section; a brief summary of the content of that section (quote marks indicate the text is taken directly from the English text of the psalm (as per our Close-but-Clear translation); and an icon to visually represent and remember the content.
Background Orientation for Psalm 31
Following are the common-ground assumptionsCommon-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/Ancient Near Eastern background. which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm.
- After Saul became angry with him (1 Sam 20:30-34), Saul decided to kill David. When David fled from Saul, he lied to Ahimelech to secure food and weapons (1 Sam 21:1-9). Next David was forced to act like a madman to prevent Achish of Gath from killing him. So, Achish ridiculed him (1 Sam 21:10-15). After David saved the city of Keilah, Saul tried to capture him there by putting the city under siege (1 Sam 23:7-8). David heard the rumor that Saul was trying to surround him (1 Sam 23:9). As a result, David asked God whether the people of Keilah would surrender him into Saul's hand (1 Sam 23:12). God tells David that the people will betray him (1 Sam 23:12). David and his men escape into the countryside and hide in the strongholds (1 Sam 23:14). Even though Saul continued to pursue him, YHWH did not allow him to capture David (1 Sam 23:14).
- A person that is physically deformed is a social outcast (1 Sam 11:2; cf., Jezebel's corpse 2 Kgs 9:37).
Background Situation for Psalm 31
The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon.
Participants in Psalm 31
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