INTO THY HANDS

The words of Psalm 31. 5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit”, were quoted by the Lord Jesus as His very last utterance before He died, Luke 23. 46.

Yesterday, we referred to Peter’s statement concerning the Lord that, “when he suffered, he threatened not”, 1 Pet. 2. 23. “But”, the apostle added, He “committed himself to him that judge th righteously”.

The context of Psalm 31 makes it clear that, when David committed his spirit to God, he was entrusting himself to God for the preservation of his life. With confidence he looked to God to continue to protect the life which He had previously delivered. In our Lord’s day, the words “into thy hand I commit my spirit” formed part of the evening prayer used by all pious Jews. It expressed their expectation of God’s care and protection, particularly during the night ahead. The words were, however, ideally suited for use at the approach of death. The Lord quoted the words about “the ninth hour”, Luke 23. 44, 46—possibly at the very time of evening prayer, Acts 3. 1; 9. 30; cf. Psa. 55. 17.

We notice that the Lord Jesus addressed His prayer to God in a manner in which David neither would nor could. His opening word was “Father”. O precious word! The darkness was past; He was forsaken no longer.

It is Luke who provides us with the first and last of the recorded utterances of our Lord during the days of His flesh. In both the Lord used the word “Father”. The first concerned the Father’s business with which He occupied Himself, Luke 2. 49. The last concerned the Father’s “hands” into which He committed Himself, 23. 46.

In His spirit the Lord had “waxed strong”, 2. 40, had “rejoiced”, 10. 21, had “sighed deeply”, Mark 8. 12, had “groaned”, John 11. 33, and had been “troubled”, 13. 21. Now the time had come for Him to “release” His spirit, Matt. 27. 50 lit. But before He did so, He would commit it, in firm and unwavering trust, to His Father for safe keeping. His flesh rested in hope of His resurrection, Acts 2. 25-32. No man took His life from Him; He laid it down of Himself; He would take it again!