Compare and contrast Psalm 31:5 and Luke 23:44. Does the New Testament maintain what the Hebrew Bible declares in Psalm 31:5? Why or why not?

In Psalm 31:5, the speaker states:

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

The context of verse five from Psalm 31 is a song or prayer in which the speaker affirms their belief in the one God of the Israelites and disavows idols. The speaker puts their full trust in God, calling him his "rock" and "fortress." They ask God to "guide" them and to keep them free from traps that are set for them. They sum this all up at the end of the stanza in the lines above, saying that they commit their soul fully to the Lord, knowing God will save and protect them.

In Luke 23:46, the context is different, although the words are the same. Jesus is dying on the cross, and these words from Psalm 31 come to him. He cries out,

with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Psalm 31 is a generic song or prayer that any faithful Jewish person can recite to call on God's protection and affirm trust and connection. In Luke, on the other hand, we witness a single individual, Jesus, citing verses from the psalm in a specific context of deep distress. However, the New Testament verse as Jesus uses it very much maintains the meaning of what the Hebrew Bible says.

Jesus, like any faithful reciter of the psalm in a Jewish temple, is affirming his faith in the one God of the Jewish people as his protector and salvation. Though he had previously asked God why he had forsaken or cast him away, Jesus now resists the temptation to curse God. He comes back into the fold of Abraham and David, asserting his faith. He means that even though he has been tortured in a horrific way and is now about to die, he still turns to God with trust and for salvation. This is an important validation of the Jewish tradition.

Compare and contrast Psalm 31:5 and Luke 23:46. Does the New Testament maintain what the Hebrew Bible declares in Psalm 31:5? Why or why not?

A comparison between Psalm 31:5 and Luke 23:46 could center on the steadfast faith of David and Jesus. In Psalm 31:5, David affirms his belief in God. Despite his struggles, David is convinced that God will look out for him and protect his spirit from harm. In Luke 23:46, Jesus makes a similar affirmation. On the cusp of death, Jesus reinforces his commitment to God. As with David in Psalm 31:5, Jesus surrenders control to God.

One might contrast Psalm 31:5 and Luke 23:46 by examining the different circumstances in which David and Jesus each feel compelled to put themselves completely in God's care. In Luke 23, Jesus has been captured. His enemies have caught and crucified him. Luke 23:46 comprises his dying words. In Psalm 31, David’s antagonists have not apprehended him. He is not in hands of, depending on one’s interpretation, the jealous King Saul or his scheming son Absalom. David is not in good shape. He’s losing his vision, his strength, and his spirit is taking a beating. Yet David is not a moment away from death, unlike Jesus in Luke 23:46.

It’s possible to argue that the New Testament maintains what the Hebrew Bible is declaring in Psalm 31:5 since the basic message of both is, in times of trouble, one must surrender themselves to the mercy of God. However, Jesus’s divinity makes it feasible to contend that the meaning changes.