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Psalm 31 - Set apart

Psalm 31

 Set Apart

 Introduction
Psalm 31 is written by David. It speaks a lot on praise, and how David has committed himself to God, and how he hopes for redemption and God's mercy.

Summary
v1-5 Commitment to God
v6-18 Set apart
v19-24 God's goodness

Commitment to God
David opens and closes this section with statements
1) In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge
2) Into your hands I commit my spirit
More importantly, it is the second statement that stands out. What does David mean by committing his spirit into God's hands?
The phrase "commit my spirit into Your hands" is a phrase often used in the last few days of a person's life - the confirmation of his faith in God, the final statement of his trust.
However, this final affirmation shouldn't be taking us till the last day of our lives to make. Of course it sounds awkward to say a person's last words while we're still young and living pretty well. (Though we never know when we will go). Rephrase it to "Into Your hands I commit my life". Makes more sense for us now? David puts his entire life ahead of him into God's hands - hoping for redemption and mercy. He allows for God to mould and shape his life, to use him as He pleases - exactly what we should be doing as well.
Have we made this affirmation, that we can say we have placed our lives in God's hands? If not, why not? If we want to, but not now, why not?
#If we have not done so and have no wish to do so at the moment, we have to examine our faith closely... Let us not fool ourselves into thinking that faith without trust in God is true faith.
#On the other side, let us also not make this affirmation without considering the severity of the statement we make by claiming we submit our entire lives to God! Know carefully what we say, lest we be judged by our broken promises.

 Set apart
The next section in Psalm 31 is on being set apart. David opens by saying he hates those who cling to worthless idols - idolatry being the major sin of his time. He speaks of God's love in his affliction, that he is rejected by the world, and his distress over this rejection.
Is David distressed because the world rejects him, or because the world rejects God?
#Probably a mixture of both. Being human, being rejected by the world does cause us discomfort. Also, rejection of God of course, troubles David as he loves God.
#David's comfort for us is that we can trust in the LORD, be glad and rejoice in His love for he knows our afflictions and will keep us from adapting to the world just to "fit in". This is not our eternal home, but we are just passing through.

 God's goodness
The last section in the Psalm is on God's goodness. David speaks of the goodness that God has prepared for those who follow Him, the reward at the end of the race. He ends of saying that the LORD preserves the faithful - that those who have faith will be helped by God to the end. These trials we face here today, the rejection by the world - these are all temporal. Instead, we should be looking forward in the hope for things to come.
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