Psalm 31 15

Psalm 31:15 kjv

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

Psalm 31:15 nkjv

My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.

Psalm 31:15 niv

My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.

Psalm 31:15 esv

My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

Psalm 31:15 nlt

My future is in your hands.
Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.

Psalm 31 verses

Psalm 31 15 Meaning

Psalm 31:15 is a profound declaration of faith and a desperate plea, uttered amidst deep distress. It expresses the unwavering conviction that every moment, every season, and indeed the entire span of a person's life – "my times" – is under the sovereign, personal control of God. Flowing from this bedrock trust in divine providence, the verse presents a fervent petition for deliverance from present dangers and relentless adversaries, recognizing that the One who holds all of life's appointed moments is also the only One powerful enough to rescue from the clutches of hostile forces. It underscores a dynamic interplay between ultimate surrender to God's will and fervent prayer for His intervention in immediate circumstances.

Psalm 31 15 Context

Psalm 31 is a profound psalm of individual lament and trust by David, portraying a soul in the midst of extreme suffering, facing intense persecution, ridicule, and betrayal (vv. 9-13). David describes feeling forgotten, like a broken vessel, with whispers against him and schemes to take his life. Physically and emotionally, he is spent ("my eye grows dim with sorrow, my soul and my body," v. 9). Yet, even in this abyss of distress, a pivotal turn occurs in verses 14-15, demonstrating an extraordinary shift from lament to resolute faith. Verse 15, "My times are in your hand," directly follows David's declaration of absolute trust, "But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God'" (v. 14). This affirmation of God's sovereignty over his life underpins and validates his subsequent desperate cry for deliverance. The historical backdrop for such psalms often involves periods of great peril in David's life, whether fleeing Saul's murderous pursuit (as chronicled in 1 Samuel 19-24) or facing betrayal during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15-18). The cultural context highlights the absolute authority of a king, yet here David models absolute reliance on the ultimate Sovereign. His plea is not for mere escape, but for God's righteous justice to prevail against his unrighteous enemies.

Psalm 31 15 Word analysis

• My times (עִתּוֹתַי - 'ittotay): This plural form of "time" signifies not merely chronological periods but all the appointed seasons, circumstances, events, and opportunities that constitute one's life. It encompasses both favorable and adverse seasons, triumphs and trials, moments of birth and death, and the very destiny or portion allotted to an individual. The use of "my" ('ittotay) personalizes it, indicating David's entire lived experience. In ancient Hebrew thought, life's trajectory was not random but part of a divine plan.
• Are in your hand (בְּיָדֶךָ - b'yadekha): This is a powerful anthropomorphism. The "hand" (יָד - yad) of God universally symbolizes power, authority, control, ownership, protection, and provision throughout the Old Testament. To declare that "my times are in your hand" means surrendering all control, destiny, and the very duration and quality of life into God's sovereign care. It is an expression of complete trust and dependence. This declaration counters the common pagan belief in impersonal fate or multiple competing deities; instead, YHWH is portrayed as the single, personal, and utterly sovereign God.
• Deliver me (הַצִּילֵנִי - hatzilenī): This is an imperative verb from the root נָצַל (natsal), meaning to pluck, snatch away, rescue, or deliver. It conveys an urgent plea for God to intervene with His power to extract the psalmist from a perilous situation. It's a cry for active intervention, not passive resignation, implying that God's sovereignty includes His power to effect salvation for those who trust Him.
• From the hand (מִיַּד - miyad): Again, "hand" (יָד - yad), but this time associated with human agents – enemies. Here, "hand" signifies their power, grasp, intent to harm, and the oppressive control they exert. The contrast is stark: God's hand is protective and sovereign, while the enemy's hand is destructive and tyrannical.
• My enemies (אֹיְבַי - 'oyebay): Those who actively seek harm, act with hostility, and oppose the psalmist. They are not abstract threats but personal adversaries.
• And from my persecutors (וּמֵרֹדְפָי - umerod'fay): Derived from the root רָדַף (radaf), meaning to pursue, chase, or harass relentlessly. This intensifies the nature of the opposition, indicating that the enemies are not merely passive antagonists but are actively and persistently seeking to track down and harm the psalmist.

• My times are in your hand: This phrase represents a profound theological statement that undergirds the subsequent plea. It asserts divine providence and sovereignty over all life's events. It implies that human existence is not haphazard or ruled by chance, but is under the precise, intentional, and caring supervision of God. This declaration is both a confession of faith and a source of comfort, acknowledging God's complete and intimate knowledge and control over every appointed period and circumstance of David’s life.
• Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors: This second part is the direct petition that arises logically from the first. Because God is the sovereign one who controls "my times," He is also the only one capable and willing to effect deliverance. The contrast between "Your hand" (divine, protective) and "the hand of my enemies" (human, destructive) is central to the plea. It's an appeal for divine power to overcome human malevolence, relying on God's omnipotence and righteous justice to rescue from active and relentless oppression.

Psalm 31 15 Bonus section

This verse highlights the transition often found in Psalms of lament, where the psalmist moves from detailing distress to expressing robust faith. This movement demonstrates a spiritual discipline of consciously turning anxieties into declarations of trust, a model for Christian spiritual warfare. The emphasis on "hand" is significant throughout the Bible. God's hand is depicted as creating (Psa 8:3, Job 10:8), delivering (Exod 13:3), protecting (Isa 49:2), guiding (Psa 73:24), and even disciplining (Heb 12:6). Here, it embodies ultimate sovereignty and active intervention. The specific reference to "my times" reflects a Hebrew understanding of time as God's domain, pre-ordained for each individual, rather than an abstract, unfeeling force. This understanding counters any fatalistic worldview, positing a personal, providential God actively involved in every life.

Psalm 31 15 Commentary

Psalm 31:15 encapsulates the ultimate surrender of the individual life to the sovereign will of God, even in the throes of severe adversity. The verse is a powerful paradox: though David is surrounded by overwhelming human threats and feels abandoned, his fundamental conviction is that his entire existence, "all his times" (seasons, appointed moments, destiny), rests securely in the almighty hand of God. This trust is not naive optimism, but a profound theological truth born out of experience with YHWH. It acknowledges that human plans are secondary, and true security lies solely in divine providence.

From this declaration of absolute divine control over his life, David issues a fervent plea for deliverance. His prayer is grounded in faith, not desperation. He's not bargaining, but asking the One whom he fully trusts with his past, present, and future, to exercise His power to rescue him from immediate, life-threatening opposition. The contrast between God's mighty, benevolent hand and the destructive "hand" of his enemies underscores the ultimate source of safety. This verse profoundly encourages believers to anchor their identity, circumstances, and future in God's immutable control, knowing that the same God who orders all "times" also hears and answers the cry for protection from the forces of evil. It is a timeless model for bringing all fears and uncertainties to God, assured that He is ultimately in charge of our destiny and our daily protection.