Text: Psalm 31:9-16: 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. 11Because 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!

Life has a way of beating down even the most optimistic person. Even David, who had so much good in his life, occasionally felt as if everything threatened to crash down around him.

We don’t know the occasion of Psalm 31; we know only that God had delivered David from intense persecution. The context of the psalm leads us to believe that someone had begun to undermine his faith through lies and deception. Regardless of when this happened in his life, David came to understand that God had never forgotten him, nor had He abandoned him to his enemies. Instead, David realized that God continued to deliver His saints even in the midst of doubt and persecution.

David begins this passage by calling for the LORD to be “gracious” to him. The word translated as “gracious” carries the connotation of intense necessity. This is the word Joseph’s brothers used to describe his pleading with them for his life. This is also the word the captain of 50 used in 2 Kings 1 when he begged Elijah for his life after other captains and their soldiers had died from heavenly fire. David’s situation, in other words, was dire.

Did David have any reason to believe God would listen? Actually, he did. In the priestly blessing of Numbers 6, David heard the priest say yearly, “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). David knew that the LORD was gracious to His people and that He desired to bring peace to His people. David could call on the LORD for help because the LORD had promised to help him.

In the following verses, we see the reasons for David’s plea for graciousness: His “adversaries” had made his life miserable. The rumors of his demise had made him a “reproach” to everyone around him. For some reason, no one wanted to be seen with David; no one wanted to stand by him in the schemes of his enemies. David’s enemies had completely isolated him from those around him. Unfortunately, those upon whom David usually relied were nowhere to be found. In fact, to David it seemed as if they had “forgotten” him “like one who is dead.”

We have all experienced this in some way or other: When it seems we need our family and friends the worst, they seem so distant. I once read of a politician whose best friend, a newspaper reporter, had written a scathing editor about him. The politician asked the reporter why he had done this, to which the reporter replied the politician was wrong on the issue at hand. The reporter then replied, “You know I stand with you when you’re right.” The politician retorted, “I know you stand with me when I’m right. I need someone to stand with me when I’m wrong!”

For some reason, no one would stand by David. Later this week, we will remember the time when Jesus’ dearest friends, His disciples, refused to stand with Him in His time of greatest need. Who will stand by us in times of trial? I’m reminded of a song from my youth that was written by Charles Tindley, the son of former slaves. The song is “Stand by Me:”

When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me (stand by me);
When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me (stand by me);
When the world is tossing me Like a ship upon the sea
Thou Who rulest wind and water, Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of tribulation, Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of tribulation, Stand by me (stand by me);
When the hosts of hell assail, And my strength begins to fail,
Thou Who never lost a battle, Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of faults and failures, Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of faults and failures, Stand by me (stand by me);
When I do the best I can, And my friends misunderstand,
Thou Who knowest all about me, Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of persecution, Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of persecution, Stand by me (stand by me);
When my foes in battle array Undertake to stop my way,
Thou Who savèd Paul and Silas, Stand by me (stand by me).

When I’m growing old and feeble, Stand by me (stand by me);
When I’m growing old and feeble, Stand by me (stand by me);
When my life becomes a burden, And I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou “Lily of the Valley,” Stand by me (stand by me).

We know, as David realized, that God will stand with us in all times of life.

Since David realized that God would stand with him, he could confidently pronounce his trust in the LORD. “But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” David’s word for “trust” implies complete confidence that the LORD would work on his behalf. Therefore, David could return to the high priestly prayer and say, “Make your face shine on your servant.” David knew that God would “look” down on His servant with love and grace.

This still applies to us today. When life looks grim, we call for the LORD to be gracious to us and deliver us, knowing He has always heard the prayers of His people.