Closer Day 19 – Psalm 31:1-8

Read: Psalm 31:1-8

31 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! 2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for

your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, 8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.

Reflect

In this Psalm, we see David cry out to God to be his refuge. The word “refuge” means to be provided safety and shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble. This seeking would be a harsh reality that David often faced in times of war and military conquest. Although we might not deal with soldiers trying to kill us, we still face trouble in many different ways. In these times of crisis and difficulty, we can run to many things to find our refuge. David’s prayer reminds us why we should run to Christ before anything else. He is “a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” God is our rock and our Savior. He is steadfast, unwavering, and the only One who can save us regardless of the things we face. We are often tempted to look to temporary measures to find an escape or comfort, but they will quickly pass and ultimately leave us with restless hearts and without peace. Only God can give us what we need most, Himself. This psalm gives us a beautiful picture of a God who is not far off but promises to “lead” and “guide” amid our struggles. In recognition of this, David prays, “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me….” What we see from David should inspire us to do the same thing. Full surrender. David shows that he is surrendering the deepest parts of His life to God, and we should do the same. Sometimes it can be tempting to straddle the fence between followers of Christ and citizens of the world. We can surrender parts of our lives to God while holding on to things we aren’t ready to put at the feet of Jesus. Today, God invites us to take refuge in Him and promises His complete comfort and peace when we let go of everything and trust Him.

Prayer

Thank you for being a loving Father that gives eternal shelter to your children. Please help me see things I might be running to find comfort and peace only you can provide. Through your Spirit, give me the power to surrender everything in my life to you, knowing that you want what is best for me.