My Times are in Your Hand

Psalms 31:13-24

13 For I hear the slander of many;
Fear is on every side;
While they take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.

16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies' sake.

17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!

20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
22 For I said in my haste,
"I am cut off from before Your eyes";
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.

23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!
For the LORD preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.

24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.

As we dwell in the mighty fortress who is our God and adversaries assault us, we have our Lord to shelter in with hope as king David spoke of.  Fear and slander can seem daunting as schemers gang up on God’s people, yet we can choose to trust in Him and not in the situation or circumstances.  Why?  Because He is our God.  Ours.  Our times are in His hand, which means that He is sovereignly in control and works for our good and His glory as Romans 8:28 puts so clearly for us to rest upon.  The Lord delivered David from his persecutors, and can certainly deliver us as well.  We pray for grace and mercy like the psalmist did in verse 16, asking for favor as if His face would shine on us with that glory as Moses experienced.  We also can pray for God to bring our enemies to shame for hating us as they do Him who is in us and for us.  This is to glorify Christ in us, not to simply provide us with recompense.  God can stop the unrighteousness of lips making unholy noises, and it is His kindness which leads them to repentance as they are called out (Romans 2:4).  We should therefore praise Him for His goodness with godly fear and absolute assurance of faith in His mercy, because we trust in Him - God’s word and work.  He shelters us from the plots, schemes, and accusations of our enemies under His wings of strong grace (Psalm 91:1-2).  We bless and honor Him as David did by extolling God’s kindness to us as He hears our prayers when we cry out to the rock higher than us.  Our refrain then should also be our love expressed in word and deed to our deliverer, knowing it is He who preserves us by faith, and He who recompensed those proud ones opposing Him and us.  The final words of this song should encourage us greatly, reminding us of His strength in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10) as we rest fully on the hope (1 Peter 1:13) given daily by grace to us according to His goodness.  Our times are always in His sovereign hands of grace!