This concludes Psalm 31. Please join me in a study of the Song of Songs at http://songofsongsofsolomon.blogspot.com/

The following is not a translation. It is a personally meaningful interpretation of Psalm 31.

I take refuge in reality, the ultimate reality of God. Keep me, O God, from confusion within the totality of your nature.

Listen to me. Save me. Tear me away from illusion. Strip me of delusions. Take me. Now! You are a place of refuge and source of strength lead me in your purpose and intention. Yank me from the hidden traps with your strength.

On your strength I depend. You save me with your truth and reality. I hate the illusion of self-assertion. I am confident in God’s reality. I tremble and shout with joy, overwhelmed by God’s attention and care. Reality does not constrain. Reality is expansive.

I am exhausted by my delusions and frustrations. Restore me to your reality. I am overcome with grief as my time slips away and my strength is consumed in distortions. From this distress has emerged self-doubt and those who know me are chased away. I am forgotten, lost, and useless. I listen and look but all is twisted and dark and my life seems to slip away.

But I am confident in your strength and power. You are my reality. My life is yours. Snatch me away from this confusion. Turn toward me with your light, bring me into your Love. Do not delay to bring me into your reality. May the darkness be lifted. May my self-deception and pride be ended.

What great joy you have stored away for those who turn toward you. As we turn toward one another I am freed from controversy and slander. I stand before the source of all becoming: extraordinary, embracing love.

I feared your call, but you heard and answered my call. How I love you! Prepare me to fulfill the potential you created in me. Encourage and strengthen my remaining in your reality.

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

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.

Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

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

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

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. I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many—terror on every side!—as they scheme together against me,as they plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! 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. Let the lying lips be mute,which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.

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! 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.

Blessed be the Lord,for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 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.

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

(English Standard Version translation)

כה חִזְקוּ, וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם-- כָּל-הַמְיַחֲלִים, לַיהוָה

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that wait for the Lord. (Psalm 31: 24)

Courageous, resolute, encouraging...

Will, soul, thinking...

Strong, alert, brave...

Whole, each, everything...

Expect, hope, tarry...

That which exists, becoming, ultimate reality...

We are encouraged to be strong - chazaq - and take courage - 'amats.

Chazaq is to be held tightly and is closely related to the work of our hands. 'Amats is more a state of mind.

By being bold in what we do and what we expect we can advance God's intention.

Above is from Les Belles Heures.

כד אֶהֱבוּ אֶת-יְהוָה, כָּל-חֲסִידָיו:אֱמוּנִים, נֹצֵר יְהוָה; וּמְשַׁלֵּם עַל-יֶתֶר, עֹשֵׂה גַאֲוָה

O love the Lord, all ye His godly ones; the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily. (Psalm 31:23)

Hunger, lust, desire...
That which exists, past-present-future, ultimate reality...
Whole, every, any...
Kind, faithful, good...
That which exists, past-present-future, ultimate reality...
Watch, keep, guard...
Trustworthy, firm, uphold...
Fully, together, adjoining...
Makes whole, completes, fulfills...
Potential, growth, rising...
Doing, making, preparing...

Love what is Real, every good thing. Reality preserves the realistic: bringing to full blossom their potential.

What is Real? What is its nature? It's intent? What is our ground of being? Who is our God?

כג וַאֲנִי, אָמַרְתִּי בְחָפְזִי-- נִגְרַזְתִּי, מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ:אָכֵן--שָׁמַעְתָּ, קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי; בְּשַׁוְּעִי אֵלֶיךָ

As for me, I said in my haste: 'I am cut off from before Thine eyes'; nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee. (Psalm 31:22)

Answer, command, call...

Hurry, flee, fear...

Destroyed, cut, separated...

Face, presence, in front of...

Spring, mind, spirit...

Surely, truly, indeed...

Perceive, attend, understand...

Sound, tinkling, thunder...

Begging, seeking, receive grace...

Shout, scream, ask...

My fearful response is to separate from you, but your spirit perceives my seeking.

Our human nature desires and - too often - can despise the way to which we are called.

כב בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה: כִּי הִפְלִיא חַסְדּוֹ לִי, בְּעִיר מָצוֹר

Blessed be the Lord; for He hath shown me His wondrous lovingkindness in an entrenched city. (Psalm 31:21)

Praise, adore, kneel...
That which exists, becoming, past-present-future...
Marvellous, wonderful, extraordinary...
Goodness, kindness, faithfulness...
Enclosed, besieged, confined...

A camel kneeling to drink water is the same Hebrew we translate as blessed.

The Hebrew for wondrous - pala' - can also mean very difficult.

I drink deeply from the source of all becoming, extraordinary embracing love.

Above is from Les Belles Heures.