My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist isn't just saying his life span is in God's hands, but that the countless events and circumstances of his life – the good, the bad, the unexpected – are all under God’s sovereign direction. This isn't a passive acknowledgment, but a profound truth he clings to, enabling him to ask for rescue knowing God orchestrates even the moments of danger.
My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
English Standard Version (ESV)
David is in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed and forsaken by friends and enemies alike. He confesses his weaknesses and fears, but declares his trust in God, calling him his God and ruler over all circumstances. This verse comes amidst his desperate cries for deliverance, asserting God's ultimate control even as he faces mortal danger.
When life feels chaotic and out of control, where do you turn? David declares that his 'times' are in God's hand, a truth that offers profound security.
The phrase 'my times' isn't just about the big moments of life – like birth or death. It encompasses the vast sweep of our existence: the good days and the bad, the planned events and the unexpected twists, the moments of success and the times of struggle.
Think about it:
David isn't just asking for a generic rescue; he's praying for deliverance from specific threats, grounded in the assurance of God's ultimate authority.
The second part of the verse, 'rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me,' is a direct consequence of the first. Because David's times are in God's hand, he can confidently ask for rescue.
Ask a follow-up
Here's what that means:
Understand the original words
eth · Hebrew Noun
A period, season, or appointed time. Biblically, it refers to the sovereign control of God over the unfolding of events and the lifespan of individuals.
natsal · Hebrew Verb
To deliver, snatch away, or save from danger, oppression, or death. It is frequently used in the Psalms to describe God's active intervention to protect His people.
radaph · Hebrew Noun
One who pursues another with intent to harm or cause suffering. It often describes those who harass the faithful because of their godliness.
The verse resonates deeply with David's own life experiences of being hunted and facing overwhelming opposition, highlighting his profound trust in God's ultimate control over all circumstances, even in the face of mortal danger.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign as King of Israel
David's reign was marked by both great victories and intense personal struggles, including betrayal and pursuit by enemies. This context likely shaped his prayers and laments.
c. 1000 BC - 970 BC
Periods of Persecution by Saul
Before David became king, and even during parts of his reign, he was relentlessly pursued by King Saul and his forces. This experience of being hunted by powerful enemies left a deep impression.
c. 970 BC
David's Death
The Psalms, including Psalm 31, are David's deeply personal expressions of faith, struggle, and reliance on God. They continue to speak to believers long after his life and reign.
This passage echoes the psalmist's trust, assuring believers that God works all things for good, just as David understood his 'times' were held in God's sovereign hand.
Proverbs 3:5-6The trust expressed in 'My times are in your hand' finds a parallel in Proverbs' call to lean not on our own understanding and to acknowledge God in all our ways, highlighting the proactive faith in God's direction.
Jeremiah 29:11This verse reinforces the idea that God has plans for us, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope. It speaks to the same divine oversight over our 'times' that David recognized.
John 10:28-29Jesus' promise that no one can snatch his sheep from his hand provides a New Testament parallel to the psalmist's plea for rescue from enemies, rooted in the ultimate security found in God's protective power.
1 Samuel 24:10When David spares Saul, he declares, 'The Lord himself shall smite him...' This demonstrates a profound belief, similar to Psalm 31:15, that vengeance and timing ultimately belong to the Lord, not to human hands.
calvinPsalms 31:14-18: "But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God."
- Yet have I trusted in thee, O Jehovah! I have said, Thou art my God. 15. My times are in thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; preserve me in thy goodness. 17. O Jehovah! let me not be ashamed; for I have called on thee: let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in the grave. 18. Let lying lips be put to silence, which spe…
cambridgePsalms 31:15: "My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me."
15 . My times &c.] Cp. 1 Chronicles 29:30 . The vicissitudes of my life are all under Thy control.
The Psalmist isn't just saying his life span is in God's hands, but that the countless events and circumstances of his life – the good, the bad, the unexpected – are all under God’s sovereign direction. This isn't a passive acknowledgment, but a profound truth he clings to, enabling him to ask for rescue knowing God orchestrates even the moments of danger.
David is in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed and forsaken by friends and enemies alike. He confesses his weaknesses and fears, but declares his trust in God, calling him his God and ruler over all circumstances. This verse comes amidst his desperate cries for deliverance, asserting God's ultimate control even as he faces mortal danger.
David is in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed and forsaken by friends and enemies alike. He confesses his weaknesses and fears, but declares his trust in God, calling him his God and ruler over all circumstances. This verse comes amidst his desperate cries for deliverance, asserting God's ultimate control even as he faces mortal danger.
"My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!" — The Psalmist isn't just saying his life span is in God's hands, but that the countless events and circumstances of his life – the good, the bad, the unexpected – are all under God’s sovereign dir…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026