Psalm 31:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,

NIV: I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.

NASB: I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness, Because You have seen my misery; You have known the troubles of my soul,

CSB: I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love because you have seen my affliction. You know the troubles of my soul

NLT: 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.

KJV: I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

NKJV: I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,

The Lord sees what every believer is experiencing. He sees each temptation and trial and invites every believer to approach His throne of grace in prayer to "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Although David experienced intense persecution, he retained his trust in the Lord. Because he had seen God's ability to work (Psalm 31:8), even through hardship (Romans 8:28), David was willing to rely on God instead of succumbing to despair. He knew his suffering never happened without God's knowledge. God saw David's struggles and emotional pain.

There is a subtle, yet crucial difference between happiness and joy. Happiness depends on favorable happenings; whereas joy depends upon a correct view of the Lord's character. Joy is tied to things like hope and faith. Because the Lord is all-knowing, all-powerful, kind, loving, and faithful, His people can experience joy amid adversity. Paul's letter to the Philippians is often called "The Joy Epistle" because of Paul's many references to joy and rejoicing. Yet, Paul was under arrest, chained, and guarded by Roman soldiers when he wrote Philippians.

Psalm 31:1–8 reveals David's trust in God to rescue him from his enemies. He detests idolaters but rejoices in the Lord's unfailing love. He praises the Lord for protecting him and allowing him to stand in a spacious place. These verses parallel similar psalms, in which David looks back on God's prior rescues in answer to prayer.

Because God has rescued him in the past, David chooses to trust the Lord even when he is in danger. Neighbors and friends may abandon him, and enemies may plot, but David is confident he will be vindicated. He also calls on others to be firm and brave as they choose to trust in God.

David mentions dangers and enemies in this psalm. He may have been referring to besieged cities such as Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1–15) or Ziklag (1 Samuel 30). Despite the plots of his enemies and abandonment by friends, David trusts in the Lord, receives an answer to his prayer, and encourages his fellow believers to love the Lord and be strong. This echoes themes also seen in Psalms 4, 25, and 71.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.