“I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.” (Psalms 31:7-8)

The Child of God is not free of troubles, trials, and tribulations, as many think they will be after they are converted. Quite the contrary, David said, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalms 34:19).

In verses 1 through 5 of Psalm 31, David was petitioning God by declaring his trust in God to deliver him from his troubles, even his enemies.

“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.” (verse 1)

David concludes his declaration to God of his trust in God to deliver him by saying:

“Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.” (verse 5)

This commitment of your body, soul, and spirit to God, when faced with adversity, is the only basis of “rejoicing” in your present trouble, knowing, “For thou art my rock and my fortress…” (verse 3a).

The text of this devotion reveals a vital key to success when petitioning God for deliverance in your trouble, trial, or test. This key is found in “I will”; of faith in the God of your salvation (or preservation) in this temporal (earthly) life.

David said:

Part I. “I will be glad.”

To be glad is a state of mind in contentment. It means you are released and set free from the bondage of fear. No matter what your physical eyes see your present circumstances to be, you can see your deliverance from the enemy by the eyes of faith. Knowing God, in whom you have place your trust, knowing God is your Rock and your Fortress; your Hightower and Place of Refuge in times of trouble; knowing, as David said in verse 1a, verse 6c, and verse 14, “But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.”

David had a personal inner witness in his spirit that the LORD (Jehovah) was his God. To be “God” you must be the Creator of all things (the Alpha, the Beginning), the Controller of all things and the Consummator of all things (the Omega, the Ending).

David said in verse 15, “My times are in thy hand…”  He knew that God had mapped out his life, from birth to death. He knew God was Sovereign, the Ruler over all His Creation. And David knew God was his Ruler and Sustainer. Therefore, he could say, “I will be glad.”

Part II. “I will… rejoice.”

This shows action. On the basis of his gladness in his Sovereign Personal God, David said, “I will… rejoice.” That is, I will praise You; I will acknowledge You inwardly and outwardly (or publicly).

When God brings you to a state of gladness, or to a place of contentment and peace in who God is and what God does for His Sheep; then the next step is to rejoice.

“Rejoicing” in the glad Child of God manifests itself in many ways: in singing to God (Exodus 15:1-21); in raising your hands in praise to God (1 Timothy 2:8); in clapping your hands (Psalms 47:1). There are numerous other ways in which rejoicing is manifested in a Child of God who has peace in the Sovereign Power and Deliverance of God of His faithful Children.

David gives the foundation specifically of his gladness and rejoicing as being God’s “mercy.” “Mercy” is defined as the channel through which grace is applied. Or, “Mercy” is through Christ, our Substitute, Sacrifice, and Savior; whereby the Grace of God is revealed (Ephesians 2:8-9).

David also explains his knowledge by experience of God’s mercy:

1)  “…for thou hast (not maybe, but David had a firm persuasion that God already had) considered (or seen; or knew of) my trouble…” (verse 7b)

This assurance, this confidence, comes only by: first, the witness of the Holy Spirit in your spirit; assuring you His Word of Promise is sure and Amen in Christ. And second, it comes by past experience, whereby God had shown mercy to you.

David had both of these happen to him in the past. Therefore, he said, “Thou hast.” Yes, You have proven this to me; proven Your Mercy, or the application of grace to me.

David was saying, now I know (ginōsko) that “thou hast considered my trouble.” See Psalms 121:1-6; 23:1-6; and many, many more Psalms that show God is ever watching over His Sheep. They show that He, as their Shepherd, the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd (John 10:14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4), is aware of every step the Sheep take. David knew that God had “considered” his situation; for he knew the watch-care of a true Shepherd of the sheep, at all times.

“Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalms 121:4)

2)  “Thou hast (past tense again) known my soul in adversities” (verse 7c)

That is, David knew that God knew his emotional structure. David knew that God knew he was but dust; and frail and weak; and needed help in times of trouble – as all of God’s Children do.

Every Child of Grace needs to come to admission to himself, to others, and to God, “I need You God. I need Your Strength; I need Your Grace and Mercy; I need Your Sufficiency.” (See Philippians 4:13, 19; 2 Corinthians 3:5; John 3:27; 9:33; 15:5; etc. “…for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).)

Child of Grace, we must know our weakness and our frailty in our flesh. No matter how much effort we give to try to overcome, the only way to overcome is in a total submission and dependence upon the Spirit of God that abides in us. We must do it His Way, or it is sure to fail.

David had an assurance that God knew his weaknesses and frailties; and God knew that David had rested his case in Him and not in his own flesh. For David had said:

“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust…” (Psalms 31:1a)

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” (Psalms 31:3)

“Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.” (Psalms 31:4)

3)  “And hast (past tense again) not shut me up into the hand of the enemy…” (verse 8a)

David said, God over and over in the past, You have not allowed my enemies to overcome me. Each and every time You have delivered me from the mouth of the lion. David knew of God’s past deliverance over and over again, from Saul, and others. David had tasted the Victory in God over his enemies time and time again. Here David presents this as his third declaration of his knowledge and experience of God’s mercy for which he was “glad” and did “rejoice.”

Look back, you who are God’s Children, and see the many, many Victories you have already experienced in Christ over your own flesh; and over the enemies of the Cross, who hate you and persecute you for Christ’s Name sake; and over the onslaught of lies and deceptions of the enemy (or of the philosophy of the wicked world), which is always trying to get you to go back to your old way of life.

Then, look forward, even in your present situation, and know (1) God is still God; (2) you are His Child; (3) His Promises have not failed; and (4) you are secure in His Victory (1 John 5:4).

4)  Fourth and lastly, “…thou hast (past tense) set my feet in a large room.” (verse 8b)

David said, not only do You see my trouble and see my weakness; and You have never let my enemies shut me up – but now, O God, see where You have brought me: to a large room of Communion with You; to a Knowledge of You; to an Assurance and Peace and Rest in You, and in Your Power, Provision, and Protection; and to a place wherein I can behold Your Glory, Your Honor, Your Perfection, Your Preeminence, Your Power (John 17:21-24), and to know of Your Love.

Child of Grace, there is no place like home. When you are Born of the Spirit, you know of your adoption (son-placing), whereby you cry “Abba, Father”; you know of your relationship to God, as a son, an adult son (Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:1-7). Then you are at home with God in knowledge of Oneness with Him, and of His Love abiding in you.

This is the “large room” for His Children. It is a room of Unlimited Grace, Mercy, and Love of God to His Children (Ephesians 3:19-20). It is a room of Security forever and ever (Romans 8:29-39). It is a room of Foundation, Refuge, and Relief; that shall never be moved. Hallelujah!

This room is the basis for trusting in God completely and totally in times of troubles.

Be encouraged, Child of Grace who is walking in the Valley of the Shadow of Death; for the LORD God Himself is your Shepherd.

Then be glad and rejoice in His Mercy!