Prayer Guide: Psalm 31

By Daniel Henderson

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
    especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
    rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
    for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
    which speak insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord!

 

REVERENCE

God’s Praiseworthy Attributes

  • Our refuge – v. 1, 2, 4, 19
  • Righteous – v. 1
  • Deliverer – v. 1, 8
  • Inclines His ear – v. 2
  • Rescues us – v. 2, 15
  • Rock of stability – vv. 2,3
  • Strong fortress – vv. 2,3
  • Works for the sake of His name – v. 3
  • Leads and guides – v. 3
  • Redeemer – v. 5
  • Faithful – v. 5
  • Trustworthy – v. 6, 14
  • Source of joy and gladness – v. 7
  • Steadfast in His love – v. 7,16, 21
  • Sees and knows our struggles – v. 7
  • Gives stability/freedom – v. 7
  • Gracious – v. 8
  • Hears our confession of sin – vv. 9-10
  • Hears our admission of rejection and brokenness – vv. 11-13
  • Our personal God – v. 14
  • Superintends our life – v. 15
  • Shines His face (presence/blessing) on us – v. 16
  • Confronts unrighteousness – vv.17-18
  • Abundant in goodness – v. 19
  • To be feared – v. 19 
  • Protects us from evil – v. 20
  • Worthy of blessing – v. 21
  • Merciful – v. 22
  • Helper – v. 22
  • Worthy of our love – v. 23
  • Preserves the faithful – v. 24
  • Judges the proud – v. 24
  • Source of strength and courage – v. 24
  • Our hope (on whom we wait) – v. 24

Possible Prayer Prompts:

  • I praise You Lord that You are my refuge, especially when…
  • I praise You, for you have delivered me from…
  • Thank You that You were gracious to me in my distress when…
  • Thank You that You have led me and guided me to show that Your name is…
  • I rejoice that Your love for me has remained steadfast even when…
  • I praise You that You heard my cry for mercy when…
  • Thank You that when I declare “You are my God” I am assured that You are…
  • I bless You Lord because You have…
  • I love You Lord because…

RESPONSE

  • Oh Lord, faithful God, I commit my Spirit to You as I struggle with…
  • I confess that my battle with the sin of ____________ has left me weak. Be gracious in giving me new strength and righteous resolve. 
  • Because You see and know me, I surrender my feeling of distress about…
  • Because I am a broken vessel, I know I need to trust You for…

REQUESTS

  • Because You are my deliverer I trust You to…
  • I pray for ____________ (name), asking You to rescue them from…
  • I trust You as my rock and fortress, especially as I deal with…
  • Because Your name is ____________, I am trusting You to lead and guide me as I…
  • In Your faithfulness, I trust You to preserve _____________ (name) as they struggle with…
  • I pray that You will give me strength and courage as I deal with…
  • May Your face shine upon us, in blessing and intimacy, as we…
  • Give strength and courage to _______________ (name) as they trust in You for…
  • Because Your goodness is so abundant, I know I can trust You even when others …
  • Because You are our hope we, as a church, wait on You for…

READINESS

  • We trust You to confront the lies of the wicked when they say…
    • Antiphonal response: Let the wicked be put to shame!
  • We know we will find our refuge in You when…
    • Antiphonal response: How abundant is Your goodness!
  • Hide us from the plots of men when they…
    • Antiphonal response: Blessed be the Lord!