Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 31:3
For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
For thou art my rock and my fortress – See the notes at Psa 18:2.
Therefore for thy names sake – For the sake of thine own honor, or for the glory of thy name. See the notes at Psa 23:3. That is, since thou art my rock and my defense – since I put my trust in thee – show, by leading and guiding me, that my trust is well founded, or that this is Thy character, and that Thou wilt be true and faithful to those who commit their all to thee. See the notes at Psa 31:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
For thy names sake; for the glory of thy name, i.e. of thy power, and truth, and mercy to thy miserable servant.
Lead me, and guide me; two words expressing the same thing with more emphasis. Direct me clearly and continually in a right and safe path; for without thy conduct I can neither discern the right way, or continue in it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For thou [art] my rock and my fortress,…. What he prayed for he knew him to be, and to have been in times past, and could claim his interest in him; and therefore entreats that he would appear to be to him what he was in himself, and what he had been to him;
therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me; either as a shepherd does his flock, gently, as they are able to bear it; into the green pastures of the word and ordinances, and beside the still waters of divine love, and to the overflowing fountain, and fulness of grace in himself; or as a general leads and guides his army; Christ being a Leader and Commander of the people, and the great Captain of their salvation, and who being at the head of them, they fear no enemy; or as a guide leads and directs such as are ignorant, and out of the way. The psalmist desires the Lord would lead him in the way of truth and paths of righteousness, according to his word; and guide him with his counsel, and by his Spirit, that so he might walk in the way in which he should go; and this he entreats he would do “for [his] name’s sake”; not for any merit or worthiness in him; but for the glory of his own name, and for the honour of his free grace and mercy, for which the Lord often does many things; he defers his anger, he purges away the sins of his people, he forgives their transgressions, and remembers their sins no more, for his name’s sake.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. For thou art my rock. This verse may be read as one sentence, thus: As thou art like a tower for my defense, for thy name’s sake direct and guide me during my whole life. And thus the conjunction, as in many similar cases, would be superfluous. But I rather prefer a different sense, namely, that David, by interjecting this reflection, encourages himself not only to earnestness in prayer, but also in the confident hope of obtaining his requests. We know, at all events, that it is usual with him to mingle such things in his prayers as may serve to remove his doubts, and to confirm his assurance. Having, therefore, expressed his need, he assures himself, in order to encourage and animate himself, that his prayer shall certainly have a happy answer. He had formerly said, Be thou my strong rock and fortress; and now he adds, Assuredly thou art my rock, and my fortress: intimating, that he did not throw out these words rashly, like unbelievers, who, although they are accustomed to ask much from God, are kept in suspense by the dread of uncertain events. From this he also draws another encouragement, that he shall have God for his guide and governor during the whole course of his life. He uses two words, lead and guide, to express the same thing, and this he does (at least so I explain it) on account of the various accidents and unequal vicissitudes by which the lives of men are tried: as if he had said, Whether I must climb the steep mountain, or struggle along through rough places, or walk among thorns, I trust that thou wilt be my continual guide. Moreover, as men will always find in themselves matter for doubt, if they look to their own merits, (637) David expressly asks that God may be induced to help him for his own name’s sake, or from regard to his own glory, as, properly speaking, there is no other thing which can induce him to aid us. It must therefore be remembered, that God’s name, as it is opposed to all merit whatever, is the only cause of our salvation. In the next verse, under the metaphor of a net, he appears to designate the snares and artifices with which his enemies encompassed him. We know that conspiracies were frequently formed against his life, which would have left him no room for escape; and as his enemies were deeply skilled in policy, and hating him with an inconceivable hatred, were eagerly bent on his destruction, it was impossible for him to be saved from them by any human power. On this account he calls God his strength; as if he had said, He alone is sufficient to rend asunder all the snares with which he sees his afflicted people entangled.
(637) “ Si los hommes regardent a leur dignite.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Rock.As rock in this verse is sel (LXX. and Vulg., strength) instead of tsr, as in Psa. 31:2, it is better to render for thou art my cliff fortress; literally, cliff and fortress.
For thy names sakei.e., because Thou hast this name of rock and fortress.
Lead me, and guide me.The future is better,
Thou wilt lead and guide me.
To pray for protection and then stoutly affirm belief, as in Psa. 31:3, has been called illogical; but it is the logic of the heart if not of the intellect; the logic, it may be added, of every prayer of faith.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. For thy name’s sake See on Psa 23:3
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 31:3 For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
Ver. 3. For thou art my rock and my fortress ] Such places David had been forced to fly to; but still he trusted in God.
Lead me, and guide me
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
rock. Hebrew. sela’.
Thy name’s sake. See note on Psa 20:1.
lead = Thou wilt gently lead.
guide = gently guide.
Pull = Thou wilt pull.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
for thy: Psa 23:2, Psa 23:3, Psa 25:11, Psa 79:9, Jos 7:9, Jer 14:7, Eze 36:21, Eze 36:22, Eph 1:12
lead: Psa 25:5, Psa 25:9, Psa 43:3, Psa 139:24, Psa 143:10, Psa 143:11, Neh 9:12, Neh 9:19, Isa 49:10, Luk 1:79, Joh 16:13
Reciprocal: 2Sa 22:2 – General Psa 71:3 – my strong habitation Psa 109:21 – But do Isa 32:2 – rock
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2. David’s confidence in God’s love 31:3-8
The psalmist’s confidence that the Lord would protect him was strong.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
David believed God would free him from his present entangling problems because the Lord had promised to help the righteous in their afflictions.