Psalms 31:17-24: a reflection

17Let me not be disappointed, LORD, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol. 18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt. 19Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men! 20In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues. 21Praise be to the LORD, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city. 22As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you. 23Oh love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly. 24Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.

In the middle of a psalm of distress, David breaks into wonder at the goodness of God stored up for his people: 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! God, he marvels, has a treasury of goodness, laid up, stored, kept in reserve for those who fear him and take refuge in him. And in the shelter of God's presence, he adds, they are hidden and kept safe.

Notice the image: goodness stored up. David pictures God's goodness toward his people not as a trickle but as an abundant treasure, laid up and kept in reserve, waiting to be given to those who fear him and take refuge in him. There is more good in store from God than we have yet seen; he has goodness stored up, held for his people, abundant beyond our present experience of it. And within the shelter of his presence, his people are hidden and safe.

That is a hope worth holding, especially in seasons of distress like the one David was in. Even when our present experience is hard, God has an abundant store of goodness laid up for those who fear him; the good we have known is not the end of it. And we are kept safe in the shelter of his presence. So the psalm ends with a call to courage: Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD. When your present is hard, remember the abundant goodness God has stored up for those who take refuge in him, and take courage. There is more good in store than you have yet seen.

Lord, David marveled at how abundant is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you and take refuge in you. Thank you that you have a treasury of goodness laid up for your people, more than I have yet seen, and that in the shelter of your presence I am kept safe. When my present is hard, help me remember the abundant good you have in store, and take courage. Be strong and take courage, my heart, for you have stored up goodness for those who wait on you. I take refuge in you.