O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honour of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.
5 I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

6 I hate those who worship worthless idols.
    I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
    for you have seen my troubles,
    and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
    but have set me in a safe place. NLT

‘The person in scripture who has the most extensively told story is the same person who is shown to be most at prayer. The outside of his life is told in story, the inside is told in prayer. The books of Samuel and Chronicles give the plot to David’s story, the Psalms show the passion.’ Eugene Peterson

Alec Motyer writes, ‘Twice (1-8, 9-17b) David recalls how in a sharp trial he resorted to trustful prayer and commitment and how the Lord heard and acted on his behalf (21,22), giving him cause to call others to a similar hope (23,24). The psalm, therefore, not only instructs us to meet crises with prayer (1-18) but assures us of the effectiveness of doing so (19-24)…Here in principle is the antidote to a crisis; prayerful and trustful, devoted seeking of God.’

He heads verses 1-8: ‘The fortress versus the trap’

As we will see later, in verses 19,20, David finds in God, ‘a strong place to stand, a secure place to enter…’ Motyer

He is a ”rock” and ”fortress”. He lives up to His Name!

He is our ”faithful God” (5b).

On the day I wrote this, Jilly and I had been reading the story of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14. The point has been made many times before, but we noted it again, that Peter was fine so long as he fixed his eyes on Jesus. But once his focus was diverted onto the storm, he was in danger of going under.

Psalm 31 encourages us to look at, and to, the Lord. David’s testimony is that in Him there is safety.

May we all, today, have a renewed sense of the reality of prayer, and see that it is a living thing in which we relate personally to the living God.