Psalms 31:5

5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;[a] You redeem[b] me, Lord, God of truth.

Psalms 31:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 31:5

Into thine hand I commit my spirit
Either his life, as to a faithful Creator and Preserver, who was the God of his life, gave him it, and upheld his soul in it; or his soul, and the eternal salvation of it, which he committed into the hand of the Lord his Redeemer, where he knew it would be safe, and out of whose hands none can pluck; or this he might say, as apprehensive of immediate death, through the danger he was in; and therefore commits his spirit into the hands of God, to whom he knew it belonged, and to whom it returns at death, and dies not with the body, but exists in a separate state, and would be immediately with him. Our Lord Jesus Christ used the same words when he was expiring on the cross, and seems to have taken them from hence, or to refer to these, ( Luke 23:46 ) ;

thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth;
which may be understood, either of the temporal redemption of his life from destruction in times past, which encouraged him to commit his life into the hands of God now, who was the same, and changed not; or of spiritual and eternal redemption from sin by the blood of Christ, and which the psalmist speaks of as if it was past, though it was to come, because of the certainty of it; just as Isaiah speaks of the incarnation and sufferings of Christ, ( Isaiah 9:6 ) ( 53:4-6 ) ; and of which he was assured, because the Lord, who had provided, appointed, and promised the Redeemer, was the God of truth, and was faithful to every word of promise; and Christ, who had engaged to be the Redeemer, was faithful to him that appointed him; and having an interest therefore in this plenteous redemption, by virtue of which he was the Lord's, he committed himself into his hands.

Psalms 31:5 In-Context

3 For You are my rock and my fortress; You lead and guide me because of Your name.
4 You will free me from the net that is secretly set for me, for You are my refuge.
5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
6 I hate those who are devoted to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithful love because You have seen my affliction. You have known the troubles of my life

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lk 23:46
  • [b]. Or You have redeemed, or You will redeem, or spirit. Redeem
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.