Psalm 31 answers the question “what do we do when we are filled with shame and despair?”
Lament is not a popular topic. The scriptures are full of it, but our culture, our Christian culture in particular, is not. We seek to “skip ahead” to the glory of the cross, over the pain, grief & humility of the cross.
Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he took time to grieve that death – “Jesus wept.” Lament is medicine for the soul and a check against injustice.
One of the key themes of the psalm is shame and disgrace. Benjamin Rush wrote, “Ignominy is universally acknowledged to be a worse punishment than death,” and this is what David is facing in and through this psalm. His response is “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” the same words Jesus quoted as He faced the ultimate shame and despair on the cross.
In verse 15, God’s hands come into play again – David’s “times” are in His hands, the ordained moments of his very life.
The cornerstone of this relationship is the love of God, in Hebrew “hesed” – a covenantal, relational love that God lavishes on us and that He seeks from us in return.
And this is the answer to the question posed by the Psalm – when faced by shame and despair, our answer is to love God and to accept His love in return.
— Sermon Notes, Diana Cleveland, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, February 1, 2026
Image by Gemini.