The weekend Psalm for:
March 12, 2021
Read Psalm 31 from the World English Bible
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This is a Lament Psalm
The Big Idea
There's a lot of talk these days about social justice. Right away, God points out that he cares about the poor. He cares about those who are weak, those who are beaten down. To put it in contemporary terms, God cares about social justice.
That does not mean, though, that all of life is smooth sailing. God promises that he will be there in the midst of the struggle, not in eliminating the struggle. While there is much to be said about the individualism that dominates our mindset, nevertheless, God's approach to social justice is individual -- he cares about the oppressed. He cares about the oppressor, as well, but if the oppressor will not repent, judgment will ensue.
The promise here is not just for the here and now. The Psalmist says "By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me. As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever" (41:11-12). That's not a hurry-up promise of prosperity. I know of a young man who was a pastor in a far-flung place. He died a few years ago, in the most unlikely of circumstances. Despite his enemies, despite his death, they did not triumph over him. They may think they did, but they don't know the rest of the story.
Again, this
is a Messianic Psalm; in other words, it looks forward to Jesus. He knew what it was to have a close friend betray him. It's right there, in verse 9 -- Judas makes a prophetic appearance.
Meditation
Some of us live with pressure, betrayal, and enemies all the time. The ones who seek to do us harm, bring us down, or, as my dad used to say, get the better of us. Some of us have never felt that. Some get told, like Job, it's your own fault you are in this situation. If you have repented of your sin and turned to Jesus Christ, then you can be confident of this: Your enemies will not triumph over you.
God is blessed, from everlasting to everlasting -- quite simply, from eternity past all the way to eternity future, with no breaks, gaps, or stumbles. God's promise is built on nothing less than God's Holiness, Perfection, Faithfulness, and Goodness.
This week, pray that God will reveal himself to you as the Holy God who gave his one and only Son to redeem us, Victory is guaranteed -- by the only one who can truly guarantee it.
Praying With This Psalm
You can pray scripture prayers for yourself or for others.
- Father God, may ______ be one who considers the poor, as your word instructs us.
- I pray, Father, that ________ will know your strength, and know the comfort that you will not abandon him/her/them to the will of their enemies.
- As _______ struggles on their sickbed, may they know that you are the one who sustains them. May they repent of their sins and experience your power.
- If there are those who gossip and tell tales about _____, Lord Jesus, I ask that you will comfort their heart with your truth and drown out the voices of their oppressors.
- Lord Jesus, may ______ know the comfort of praying Let not my enemies, or this sickness, triumph over me.
- Father, may ______ join their voice with Your praise, which runs from everlasting to everlasting.
Related Scriptures and Scripture Prayers
- Galatians 2:9-11. God cares about the outcast.
Lord, you told the early church to remember the poor, and may _____ have the attitude of serving you while being eager to serve others. - Philippians 4:14-18. Jesus Christ must be proclaimed.
Father God, I pray that ______ will tell the truth of Jesus Christ in their day-to-day life. May they filled with goodwill, love, and truth. - Romans 3:24 & I Corinthians 1:30. Jesus is our redemption.
Lord Jesus, help ________ to understand the power of your redemption. Make it clear to _______ that redemption is a gift that comes by the grace of God. May they recognize that if they are not for you, they are against you, and call them to repentance.
((C) 2009, 2021). L. J. Sam Helgerson, PhD
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