Psalm 31: Reverent & Serious Reasoning 1. An Affirmation of Trust Psalm 31:1

Text:  “In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Thy righteousness.

                                                                                                                       Psalm 31:1.

Good morning, reverent and reasoning Christian!  Before you and I obey the Lord’s invitation to ’Come let us reason together…’, we always ensure that we come before the Lord God Almighty’s throne of grace in an attitude of humble reverence and awe. 

Fools, who seek to come into God’s Presence in any other superficial attitude, are dicing with disaster indeed, for our Lord God is a consuming fire of absolute Holiness and absolute wrath against all sin.  ’Lord God, we revere Thy Holy Presence, and humbly seek audience to Thy gracious Throne, in and through Christ Jesus, Thy dear Son, and His full Atonement Sacrifice alone.  Amen.’

“And when I saw Him (the risen and glorified Christ Jesus), I fell down at His feet as dead.  And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and I have the keys of Hell and of death.”  (Revelation 1:17-18)

This is the Lord God Whom we, as Spiritually regenerated souls, seek to worship and praise.  This is the Lord God, Almighty in all His three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost - Whom we revere,  in Whose Presence we prostrate ourselves in worship and adoration; for there is no other Creator Lord God than Him.  Hallelujah!  Glory to His Name!  Bless the Lord, oh my soul!

“Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the Heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all.  Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.  Now therefore (a conclusion), our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious Name.”  (1 Chronicles 29:11-13)

This, therefore, is the Lord God in Whom the Psalmist puts his trust; and it is this same Lord God, Omnipotent in all His Persons and power, Whom you and I as Christian believers should place our full hope and trust.  There is no other Lord God.  Amen.

Verse 1.  “In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust.  Is it not truly amazing to know that the Lord God in Whom we place our trust, is that same one and only Lord God Who has given us His gift of faith to use that we might be enabled to put our full trust in Him?  Wow!  What a truly gracious Lord God we are permitted to love and serve!

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man/woman should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created (Spiritually reborn) in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

This is clearly a Lord God in Whom we can place all our Eternal trust.  Praise God.

Verse 1.  “…Let me never be ashamed.  How can the Lord permit the man to be ultimately put to shame who depends alone upon Him?  This would not be dealing like a God of truth and grace.  It would bring dishonour upon God Himself if faith were not in the end rewarded.  It will be an ill day indeed for religion when trust in God brings no consolation and no assistance.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 148)

“Some have thought that the occasion in his troubled life which led to this Psalm was the treachery of the men of Keilah, and we have felt much inclined to this conjecture; but after reflection in seems to us that its very mournful tone and its allusions to his iniquity demand a later date, and it may be more satisfactory to illustrate it by the period when Absolom had rebelled and his courtiers were fled from him, while lying lips spread a thousand malicious rumours against him.”  (Treasury of David, page 148)

Verse 1.  “…Deliver me in Thy righteousness.  The Christian doctrine of Imputation - whereupon true regenerated confession of Christ Jesus as ones Saviour, Redeemer, and Lord, the full righteousness of Christ Himself is imputed (put to the account of) to the born again believer - teaches us the power of our Holy Lord God towards totally depraved and sinful man.  We are Eternally ‘delivered’ from all sin; Eternally delivered from all our iniquities; totally saved and secured for Heaven, by the spotless righteousness of Christ Jesus put to our personal account by God’s grace.  Thus, the Psalmist cries out this truth to all who would maliciously slander him because of his own personal sin, faults and failings.  (See Psalm 32: the doctrine of Imputation on our website by using the ‘Search’ facility.)

Thought:  Imputation: Looked at in the simplest of terms, the doctrine of imputation is like the bankrupt person (the sinner) going to a bank manager desiring to make a withdrawal to start a new business. The bank manager immediately refuses to receive him/her because the person has no resources at all in the bank.  However, a millionaire (Christ Jesus) then escorts the bankrupt person to the bank, speaks to the bank manager and instructs him to put all His millions at the bankrupt person’s disposal. The bank manager immediately welcomes the otherwise bankrupt person into his office with open arms. All the millionaire’s resources had been put to the bankrupt person’s account. That is what Christ Jesus has done for us, ‘His people’.

"...And thou shall call His Name Jesus; for He shall save HIS PEOPLE from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) Hallelujah! What a Saviour!  We affirm our full trust in Him.

11. Dedication To Eternal Thanksgiving Psalm 30:12

Text:  “To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever.”
                                                                                     Psalm 30:12.

Good morning, ever-thankful Christian!  Before you and I open our eyes each morning, we are reminded of our Eternal position in Christ and offer up our hearts to Him in thankfulness and praise.  Even in times of natural fear and dread - Supernatural thankfulness for the grace of God in our lives causes us to stay calm and direct our hearts up onto God and to cry out to Him for help in times of great need.  Thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus, for in Christ Jesus we are assured of ever-present and Divine help.  Hallelujah!  Thanks be to the Lord God!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not…Behold, I will bring…health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.  And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.”  (Jeremiah 33:3;6-7)

Verse 12.  “To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever.  To the end - namely, with this view and intent - that my glory - that is, my tongue or my soul - may sing praise to Thee and not be silent.  It would be a shameful crime if, after receiving God’s mercies, we should forget to to praise Him.  God would not have our tongues lie idle while so many themes for gratitude are spread on every hand.  He would have no dumb children in the house. They are all to sing in Heaven and therefore they should all sing on earth.  Let us sing with the poet:

I would begin the music here,

And so my soul should rise;

Oh, for some Heavenly notes to bear

My passions to the skies. “ (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 147)

You know, it can become quite a tiresome platitude to rehearse to someone who is going through a bad time of trial and testing, ‘Oh, count your blessings and all will soon be well again.’  However, a vital truth still remains within that statement.  If, when in the depths of Spiritual depression, sore trial, heavy bereavement, fear or dread, we can focus on what the Lord has already done for us, and in us, and with us - faith can receive the vital boost that it needs within us to help us to rise above whatever we are suffering at that given time.

The logic of this is this: IF the Lord has not let us down in the past, why should He fail to help us through this present trouble? 

He will not, He cannot, fail to keep His own sure Word to us, dear friend, and thus we rest on His promises until such sore troubles pass away.

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.  Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth.” (1 Chronicles 16:11-12)

Christ Jesus, our redeemer King; our Saviour and our Lord, is sat at the right hand of our Father in Heaven at present - interceding for us, ‘His people’, whom He has endured the cruel Cross to save.  Is God the Father going to refuse any request His dear Son, Jesus, asks of Him on our behalf?  Never!  And thus, we continually rejoice!  Christ cannot forget us, EVER!  We are graven on the palms of His hands!

“Behold (look and understand!), I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls (defences) are continually before Me.”  (Isaiah 49:16)

Eternal thanksgiving arises in our souls, even in the midst of the deepest, most crushing, troubles.  It does so because the Lord has ordained such thanksgiving for us, and in spite of anything we may have to face in this transient life - nothing can take our God-given joy from us.  His peace is always right down there in the bottom of every would-be Pandora’s Box, waiting to spring forth to reassure us of His Presence with us as the great Emmanuel.  Glory and praise, and Eternal thanksgiving to His Holy Name!

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel.”  (Isaiah 7:14)

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  (Matthew 1:23)

“The prophet (David) in this Psalm begins with the anger of God but ends with His favour: as of old, when they entered into the tabernacle they did at first see unpleasant things, as the knives of the sacrifices, the blood of victims; the fire that burned upon the altar, which consumed the offerings; but when they passed a little further there was the holy place, the candlesticks of gold, the show-bread, and the altar of gold on which they offered perfumes; and in fine, there was the Holy of Holies, and the ark of the Covenant, and the mercy-seat, and the cherubims, which was called the face of God.”  (Timothy Rogers 1660-1729)

Thought: “What is praise?  The rent we owe to God; and the larger the farm the greater the rent should be.”  (G.S. Bowes 1869)  Give thanks forever, beloved Bible-believing Christian, for we are Eternally blessed by the Lord God.

10. Dedication To Eternal Restoration! Psalm 30:11

Text:  “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.”                                                                            Psalm 30:11.

Good morning, God-restored Christian!  Often have been the times when your faith and mine has been sorely tried, tested, and stretched to the very limit of human endurance.  Yet, once we have been tested to the Lord’s ordained level - we have been brought through by Divine and gracious restoration.  Praise God it is so.  Amen.

Check out brother Job’s experience and declaration on this vital subject:  Job 23:1-17.

“But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  My foot hath held His steps, His way have I kept, and not declined.  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”  (Job 23:10-12)

Every Christian called to serve the Christ of God is necessarily put through ‘the furnace of affliction’, if he/she is to be refined to be the instrument of God’s Eternal purpose.

“Behold (Look closely and begin to understand!), I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.  For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it; for how should My Name be polluted?  And I will not give My glory unto another.”  (Isaiah 48:10-11)

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try (test) you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Real testing is only performed on real gold and silver!  False professors are not tested; the Lord already knows they are not the genuine material.  Stand fast!

Verse 11. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.  This might be true of David, delivered from his calamity; it was true of Christ, arising from the tomb, to die no more; it is true of the penitent, exchanging his sackcloth for the garments of Salvation; and it will be verified in us all, at the last day, when we shall put off the dishonours of the grave to shine in glory everlasting.”  (George Horne 1730-1792)

God’s restoration for born again believers is promised to every believer who needs it - and we all need such Divine restoration from time to time, if we are actively engaged in the great Spiritual Battle between good and evil in the service of King Jesus Christ. 

All the very best soldiers in this Spiritual warfare get weary, there is no exception.  “The spirit indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”  (Matthew 26:41)

Here‘s what Bishop Ryle had to say on the subject: “If we are true Christians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other people. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace by the way and glory to the end – all this our Saviour has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no afflictions. He loves us too well to promise that.

“By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn. By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world and makes us long for heaven. In the resurrection morning we shall all say, ‘it is good for me that I was afflicted.’ We shall thank God for every storm.”  (J.C. Ryle 1816-1900)

The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ instructs us, through the inspired writing of the apostle John on this matter:  “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold (look and understand!), the Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.  He that hath an ear (a Spiritual ear!), let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”  (Revelation 2:10-11)

It is not easy going through such Spiritual testing times; we are mere dust of the earth, and feel deeply every grief, every heartache, every pain in illness; and every deep frustration.  Yet, the Lord Jesus has given us His own written promise that, in His strength and power and grace, we shall overcome our trials and testings.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”               (John 16:32-33)

The world, the flesh, and the Devil are all very powerful opponents to our faith and service to Christ Jesus as true Bible-believing Christians.  However, we know from our Bibles that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is infinitely greater than all other powers.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, that he that is in the world.”  (1 John 4:4)

Thought: God shall always turn our mourning into dancing; take off our garments of grief and put upon us His robe of joy.  Let us trust Him to do so now.

9. Dedication to God's Personal Help Psalm 30:10

Text:  “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; Lord, be Thou my Helper.”     

Psalm 30:10.

Text:  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.” 

Isaiah 41:10.

                                                                                                                                           

Good morning, God-enabled Christian!  Without Divine enablement from the Lord God Whom we love and seek to serve, you and I could not serve Him as He determines us to serve Him.  We would fail, and fall, and falter, and come to nought.  It is God’s enabling power that upholds us as we seek to faithfully serve the risen Christ Jesus.

“I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)

Psalm 30: is, therefore, a song of dedication to God for His ever-given mercy, and His ever-present help.  Praise His altogether lovely Name!

“God is our Refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the sea.”  (Psalm 46:1-2)

If you and I are serous about serving our Lord God Who has redeemed us with His own precious and sinless Blood,  then we are promised much opposition; much heartache; much oppression; and much hindrance.  Fact.

“Yea, and all those that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”            (2 Timothy 3:12-13)

In Spiritual terms, it is a clear case of ‘no pain, no gain’, Christian friend!

In earthly terms, men risk their very lives to make material gain - they burrow deep down into the earth’s bowels and risk life and limb to extract gold, silver, and diamonds to sell on the world’s market places to enhance their personal wealth.

How much more should you and I risk everything we have in order to enhance Christ’s Kingdom here on earth, before that great and terrible day of His Return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?  What a momentous day that will be!  Hallelujah!  ‘Even so, Come, Lord Jesus, the Spirit and the Bride say Come!’  (Revelation 22:16-21)

“Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; Lord, be Thou my Helper.” (Psalm 30:10)

The Holy Ghost inspired Scriptures teach us that we can do nothing good or positive without Christ dwelling within us, and we know, both from faith and practical experience, that this Divine law is truth.  However, those same precious, God-breathed, Scriptures teach us that with the Lord as our Divine Helper, we can do all things!

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

Verse 10.  “Lord be Thou my Helper.  Another compact, expressive, ever-fitting prayer.  It is suitable to hundreds of the cases of the Lord’s people; it is well becoming in the minister when he is going to preach; to the sufferer upon the bed of pain, to the toiler in the field of service, to the believer under temptation, to the man of God under adversity; when God helps, difficulties vanish.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 147)

Verse 10.  “Hear, O Lord.  The only prayer that the Lord does not hear, is the prayer that is not being prayed!  We cannot expect a Divine answer to prayers that are not being voiced. 

However, God will not hear - will point-blankly and justly refuse to hear - the prayer that is prayed while harbouring ‘hidden sin’ or selfish iniquity in the heart of the one making the petition. 

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me…Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me.”  (Psalm 66:18-20)

It is totally unreasonable, even in human terms, to expect a Holy and just Lord God Almighty to both hear and answer prayers that are prayed in opposition to His own Sovereign will and Eternal purpose.  The Lord cannot both teach us to be unselfish in nature, and hear and answer selfishly motivated prayers.  God’s Sovereign will is written out for us, in God’s Holy and inspired Word.  Read the Word - know God’s will.

The Lord has not saved you and me in order to then leave us to our own devices.  The Lord God has saved us to fulfil His Eternal purpose, and if we are seeking to do His will, He will at all times grant us His Divine help to accomplish His purpose for us.

Thought:  Whatever hardship we may be enduring at present, the Lord has promised to help us overcome it in His strength and power and grace.  Stand up, Christian soldier!  God’s powerful help is on its way.  (Acts 1:8)