Question 1

What does "Into thine hand I commit my spirit" mean?

Accepted Answer

This line shows David handing his whole life over to God. He is surrounded by enemies and feels close to death, so he places his spirit, his very self, into God’s care. He does this because he trusts God as the God of truth who has already redeemed him. It is like saying, “My life is yours. You can keep me safe in life and in death.” Later, Jesus used these same words when He died, so many readers also see here a deep picture of trust even at the point of death.

Question 2

Why does David say "My times are in thy hand"?

Accepted Answer

When David says, “My times are in thy hand,” he is admitting that every part of his life is under God’s control. His days of sorrow, his years of sighing, the plots of his enemies, and any rescue that might come are not random. They are in God’s hand. This gives him courage to ask, “Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies.” He knows enemies have a hand against him, but God’s hand is stronger. For us, this teaches that all our changes and seasons are governed by God’s wise care.

Question 3

What are the "lying vanities" that David hates?

Accepted Answer

“Lying vanities” are empty, false things people trust in instead of the Lord. In David’s world this included idols, superstitions, and any false hope that draws the heart away from God. He says he hates these, meaning he wants nothing to do with them. They promise help but cannot save. In contrast, he says, “But I trust in the Lord.” The verse shows that real faith turns away from false supports and depends on the God of truth alone, even when life is hard and enemies seem strong.

Question 4

How does Psalm 31 describe God as a rock and fortress?

Accepted Answer

David calls God his “strong rock,” “house of defence,” and “fortress.” These pictures come from strong, high places and safe cities that protect people in war. By using this language, David says God Himself is his safe place, not just a thing God gives. God is the one who can quickly rescue, hide His people from human pride, and shelter them from the “strife of tongues.” When people lie, plot, or attack, God can be like thick walls and high ground, holding His people where enemies cannot finally reach them.

Question 5

Why does David feel forgotten and like a broken vessel?

Accepted Answer

David says he is a reproach to his enemies, a fear to his neighbors, and forgotten “as a dead man out of mind.” He feels thrown aside like a broken pot that no one wants to use. This shows how deep his shame and loneliness are. People avoid him, believe slander about him, and plan to take his life. Yet right in that place he still prays, “But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.” The passage gives words for times when we feel cast off and reminds us God still sees and hears.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s mercy and righteousness?

Accepted Answer

David asks, “Deliver me in thy righteousness” and “Have mercy upon me, O Lord.” God’s righteousness here is not David’s own goodness but God keeping His promises and doing what is right toward His people. Mercy means God looks on David’s misery, grief, and even his sin, and chooses to help. David knows his strength fails “because of mine iniquity,” yet he still looks to God’s mercy. Together, righteousness and mercy show a God who is fair, faithful, and kind, saving those who trust Him, not because they deserve it, but because He is good.

Question 7

How can believers today apply the words "Be of good courage"?

Accepted Answer

At the end David turns from his own pain to speak to all who hope in the Lord: “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart.” He is not saying we must be strong by ourselves. He is saying, “Take heart, choose to trust, because God will give strength.” When life feels tight, like there is no way out, we can remember that God can set our feet in a “large room” and hide us in the “secret of his presence.” So we can keep praying, keep trusting, and expect God to give inner strength.

Question 8

What does it mean that God hides his people "in the secret of thy presence"?

Accepted Answer

This picture means God can give a hidden safety that others cannot see or touch. To be hidden “in the secret of thy presence” is to be so near to God that human pride and the “strife of tongues” cannot finally harm the soul. Enemies may still speak and plot, but God keeps His people as if in a sheltered tent, under His watchful eye. This does not always remove outward trouble right away, but it promises a deep kind of safety and peace that comes from knowing God is guarding those who fear and trust Him.

Psalm 31:1

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Cross References

Psalm 31:1

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

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Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Cross References