Psalm 31:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.

NIV: Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.

NASB: Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am in distress; My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body too.

CSB: Be gracious to me, Lord, because I am in distress; my eyes are worn out from frustration -- my whole being as well.

NLT: Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.

KJV: Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

NKJV: Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body!

When someone appeals to God's grace, it means asking God for that which a person does not deserve. God's "grace" is expressed when He grants some benefit that we can't demand or expect. Here, David needs help because of his opponents (Psalm 31:11). Symbolically, David speaks of his eyes failing because of grief. Intense weeping can make one's eyes uncomfortable, not to mention being blurred with tears.

Likewise, his soul was afflicted as much as his body. Probably his troubles negatively impacted his spiritual life. It's possible that at some point, David focused too much on his trouble instead of on the Lord's ability to overcome that hardship. Whether this was connected to some overt sin on David's part (Psalm 31:10) or simply his fallen human nature, Scripture does not say.

Emotional stress can lead to physical problems. Physically, David was suffering. Although the Lord Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15), He, too, was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). Also, like David, Jesus was sometimes physically exhausted. John 4:6 reports that Jesus was wearied after his long journey into Samaria. Therefore, He sat down beside what had been Jacob's well. His death on the cross came faster than it did for those next to Him (John 19:31–33), likely because of the exhaustion of His prior beatings.

Psalm 31:9–13 continues David's psalm of praise. He asks the Lord to be gracious to him. He mentions how sin leads to spiritual weakness, while also mourning how the deadly threat of his enemies has caused friends to abandon him. He hears rumors and conversations that inspire terror, knowing his foes scheme against him. And yet, David will not succumb to despair; he chooses to trust in God, as the next passage shows.

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.