Psalm 31 – Submission or Rebellion?
By: Edward Cortez
There are no simple answers to the question of pain and suffering in the world. We can preach or pontificate about suffering but to individuals and families who had gone through or are going through some tough times in their lives and may be grappling with losses or tragedies, there is probably nothing that could assuage their doubts and fear, only the reality of the searing pain of sorrow and loneliness in their midst.
We live in troubled times. So where do we turn to when the chips are down, and we are faced with personal tragedies? We have a few options. We can either give in to our circumstances or try to overcome them. Our responses will always boil down to two realities – either through rebellion or submission.
In Psalm 31, we find David in the midst of despair, and he does not hide the fact that he is fast losing it, “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak” (verses 9, 10).
But then David knows exactly where to go and how to respond to his despair. He chooses submission instead of rebellion. He turns to the Rock and holds on to Him in the most distressful time of his life, “In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my Rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my Rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me…into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God” (verses 1 to 5).
Sure, we can choose to be in rebellion and reject any thought of God. But where else can we turn to aside from someone more powerful than anyone? Outside of God everything else will only offer temporary relief, a false sense of security and a troubled life where peace becomes elusive. The soul will continue to groan and be restless if its Creator is taken out of the equation. St. Augustine said it best, “My soul is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.”
David chooses his one and only best option: submission. He gathers himself up and proclaims, “But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me” (verses 14, 15). Even in our deepest pain and brokenness we can say with David, “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you” (verse 19).
When we choose to submit to God and acknowledge His sovereign power over our lives and all creation, we can be strong and take heart for He is with us no matter what. As we hope in the Lord, He will sustain us (my paraphrased version of verse 24).
Psalm 31 echoes the words of Jesus on the cross, “Into your hand I commit my spirit” (verse 5). At the cross, we see Jesus submit totally to the will of His Father. He chose submission in order that we might experience freedom from sin and death when we trust and believe in Him.
