Psalm 31 - The Cruciform Life

 




Jesus, there are echoes of your death reverberating throughout this psalm. To a degree, this is your story. In fact, on the cross, you prayed v. 5, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Just as David said about himself in this psalm, it is stated that you, too, were a man of sorrows acquainted with grief (v. 9, 10). At your crucifixion, you knew the pain and shame of v. 11-13 - an object of dread to your acquaintances; you knew what it felt like to have your friends flee from you; you became a broken vessel; you heard the whispers of those who sought to take your life.

Jesus, I have no doubt that David knew you because his life so closely matched yours. His life took on a form that resembled the cross - it was truly cruciform.

And Jesus, I think this is what Paul meant when he said that he wanted to know you in the power of your resurrection and the fellowship of your sufferings, becoming like you in your death (Philippians 3:10).

Jesus, modern-day American Christianity doesn’t want to know you in this way. We want the power of the resurrection without the conformity to your death. We want the cross for forgiveness, but we don’t want a cruciform life. We want paradise, but not the pain.

Jesus, it is hard to pray this, but let me know you by experiencing the pain of a cruciform life. Let me know you in your pain, your humiliation, your giving up of your rights, your loneliness, your cross.

I don’t want to know you this way, but I know it is the only way to truly know you. And thank you that you will meet me in that sorrow, shame, distress, and grief - because you know what it is to live a cruciform life.

Amen

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