Psalm 31:2-3a, 3b-4, 17, 25

“Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” (Psalm 31:5)

Psalm 31 is an individual lament.[1] The lament proper is found in 31:10–13, where the psalmist complains about his crisis, which, judging from the anatomical language of 31:9–10, was an illness, interpreted by his enemies as God’s ill favor. In view of the declaration of trust in the Lord (31:6, 14), the attestation of his deliverance (31:7–8, 21–22), and the affirmation of God’s goodness as the basis of his trust (31:19), it could be considered an individual psalm of trust.[2] Yet, it is not unusual that trust is an integral part of lament. The unity of the psalm has been disputed because of the repetitious nature of the content and the awkward transition between 31:18 and 19.

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