Look up Psalm 31 and follow along

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge.

I acknowledge the LORD as my refuge from my oppressors - those spiritual elitists (pharisees) who condemn gay people, though God created us this way. Shame is a powerful foe. Sometimes people live up to (or down to) the expectations others put on them - the shame that others would associate to gay people may be internalized and then actions taken to live into that shame. The author says “let me never be put to shame” which is a great prayer for those of us who are gay and feel the shame and stigma others would place on us if we let them. “Deliver me in your righteousness” is such an amazing phrase. God, in Your righteousness, take note of these accusations and that there isn’t reason for us to feel shame. We are condemned without cause. God, as the righteous judge, will see our plight and deliver us from our adversaries.

Be my rock of refuge

The rock we are talking about here isn’t a pebble or a piece of gravel. No, this is more like a rock formation that has withstood the test of time. The author asks for God to be the durable shelter and unchanging foundation that brings a sense of true security and stability.

For the sake of Your Name

Since others know we are associated with the Almighty God, God’s own reputation is at stake if God does not rescue and vindicate us. Otherwise, those who know that we trust in the Lord will look scornfully at us and at God. Is God’s arm too short to save? No, so for the sake of God’s holy reputation, “lead me and guide me.”

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me

It does seem like those pharisees who would condemn the gays set traps for those of us who profess to be Christians. Sometimes these are idle traps, like not even presuming that we are interested in God, reading God’s word, or having any opinion on a matter of Scripture. Other times, these traps are more deliberate and scandalous: clobber passages, attacks on individual character based on stereotypes, attacks that say “prove to me why I should believe this way or so and so as you do” (without any actual interest in a change of heart or mind), or even the outright bullying either politically or physically. God knows many gay people have been attacked, maimed or even killed by Christians! Set us free, O God, from these traps that the wicked would set for us.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols

Now, I’m gonna go off on a tangent here just a bit. But some Christians believe (though will not admit that they do so) that Christianity is (in essence) a fertility cult (go and multiply, for generations to come, subdue the earth and fill it, blessed is the man who has many children, etc.). They have made children / child bearing (the gays call them breeders) the focus of the spiritual life. These arrogant fools (yes I will be this harsh) have the audacity to believe that God’s blessings are only upon those who reproduce - to which I say “bull shit you heretical anti-Christ!” This breeder ideology is as much of an idol as any physical hand-carved image. Let God be God and fertility cults be recognized as such - notwithstanding that children are a blessing from the Lord - but even gay children are that if the parents are in any capacity wise. And gay people can and do adopt children.

And rejoice in Your love… saw my affliction… the anguish of my soul

Probably every gay person in all of history has conceptually prayed to God to please love them and see their affliction, the anguish they endure… at least those finding themselves in not-so-nice cultures and situations. The anguish of the soul is such a light way to put the agony and despair felt by so many of us, but human words can only go so far. Let this be known to all who read this: God loves the gay. God sees the anguish of your soul, and you do not walk alone. Your Creator loves you the way you are. Please put away all temptation to extinguish the light of your life. You are loved even if you do not feel it - know this for certain - that God loves those God has created - even when our circumstances prevent us from feeling this. Get help if you are feeling down or if you have thoughts of self-harm, for this is not from God, your Creator, Redeemer, and Friend. God’s arm is not too short to save you today in the midst of your agony and despair - only trust in the Lord, please, and you will see God unfold positive and good plans for you in this life.

You have not given me into the hands of the enemy

For so many of us that are gay, we can see that while we were kicked around, either physically or ideologically - by our oppressors, we have prevailed. We have not been given over, but God has triumphed - and we are well.

Be merciful to me… I am in distress

How many times have I felt stressed out because of my accusers - who, because I was in the closet at the time, didn’t even know they were accusing me. But I felt it! Boy did I feel their accusations, disdain, contempt, and disgust. Be merciful to me, O God, ‘cause I need you in the dark times.

I am the utter contempt of…

So many of us have felt this undeserved contempt. And we internalize it. And it becomes part of our identity. And then we act out into it. O God, save us from this undeserved contempt, from others’ illegitimate perspectives, and our own vulnerable selves. Guard our self-perceptions, O God, so that we do not live into the worst that others would expect for us, but are instead guided by Your Holy Spirit into the best You have for us.

Dread to my friends… those who see me … flee from me

Far too often, when someone comes out, they find out that their friends are no longer their friends and that folks they used to interact with now avoid them. This is just reality. You can’t change other people or convince them that you aren’t really who they think you are. It is painful to loose relationships, but sometimes, this is the most healthy thing. Know that God is working all things together for good for those who trust in God.

I am forgotten as though I am dead

Some of us have actually experienced “being shunned” by modern-day pharisees – the “godly,” self-righteous. They… well, I’d say they mean well, but in reality, they don’t. Their perspective is skewed by the devil or their own fear and they treat the vulnerable with contempt - shunning them so as to not associate with the “perverted” ones who “obviously” do not seek after God… This is sin, and they cannot pretend otherwise. Perhaps they are blinded, but they should feel a disquiet in their soul.

I have become like broken pottery

It feels this way, right? Like, maybe, “if You could just make me straight, then I wouldn’t be broken and… I dunno… worthless” (at least to those who subscribe to Fertility-Cult-Christianity). I’ve heard it said about someone who was gay: “What a waste!” Wow - How incredibly stupid! How incredibly arrogant! How incredibly out-of-touch with the Creator who made that person as they are! Oh God - forgive these who oppress us, for they have absolutely no idea what they are doing! And may You divinely intervene to introduce them to gay people to alter their perspective. And as for us, Your LGBT+ children, designed and adopted by our God, give us your peace and be our strong rock that we can run to and rest in, knowing that even in the ways we think we are broken, You will yet use us when we give ourselves to Your service.

They conspire against me

This passage cannot be addressed without discussing political forces waging war on the LGBT+ community. Surely we are under attack! Take heart, though: we have achieved great things in the past 60 years in terms of our visibility and acceptance in the mainstream. Yes, there are those who, in error, conspire against us, but this has always been true of those who seek peace and truth. Take heart - for you have not yet endured to the point of death - not that this would be the goal. But God’s work to promote LGBT+ causes isn’t done yet in the land of the living - and you still can play a part in God’s work.

I trust in You, Lord

And this is the key. Trust in the Lord. Proclaim, “You are my God!” God has the ability to deliver us from others and from ourselves. So, let God be God.

Let Your face shine on your servant

God’s love is unfailing, and God will not abandon that which God has made. Instead, God will honor those that others despise and will bring down those who have exalted themselves.

Let their lying lips be silenced

This is such a good prayer for those who are wrongfully oppressed by the Body of Christ. Yes, God will silence those who lie about us, the slander will not last forever, and the unjust condemnation will fade in time. The best way to combat these lying lips is to simply live authentic Christian lives. Those who speak arrogantly against the blameless will be shown to be the contemptuous bigots that they are.

How great is Your goodness

Let’s not loose sight of the end-goal by being distracted by worthless arguments from the slanderous. Instead, keep focused on the goodness of God and God’s past, present, and promised future blessings for those who love and fear God. A note here: fear is more about respect and honor as opposed to being tormented by terror. The fear of God leads us to understand that God will bring judgment on those who oppress the righteous, so… we shouldn’t do that. The fear (or respect) of God leads us to do the right thing, knowing that God isn’t some far-off entity, but is currently at work in our own lives. And this God, whom we worship, respect, and obey, will richly reward those who seek after God. And that is good news. Great is God’s goodness that is poured out on those who follow God!

You keep them safe from accusing tongues

So, this is really only the case if we choose to not live into the evil expectations that others would set for us. And, even when we do fall, know that God will forgive us of our sins - gay or straight or anything else. For not even the Father judges anyone, but leaves all judgment to the Son - and Jesus says that those who hear (listen) to His words and believe in God have eternal life - and will not be judged - but have passed from death to life. So, if God isn’t judging you, but mere mortals are, then know that you stand firm in God, despite these accusing tongues. All of this is because of God’s love for us, even when it feels like we are under attack. God is our refuge and strength. God hears our cry for mercy and help.

Love the Lord, all his faithful people

Plead with God that all people will love God, respect God’s creation and creative expression, and seek to humbly follow God faithfully. We are preserved from evil when, by not accepting the shame that others would put upon us, but instead embracing our Creator, we seek after God in spite of what the hypocritical pharisees say. Let God bring down the proud in the arrogance of their condemnation - and let our conscience be innocent by treating others the way Christ wants us to treat them.

Be strong and take heart

Don’t give up - don’t loose sight in spite of setbacks and challenges. If God is for us, who can be against us? Getting discouraged and being upset is natural when we face fierce opposition, but know that God faced fierce opposition - even to the point of death - and continued to fight the good fight. Know that we have never seen such progress in the advancement of having the mainstream public understand that the LGBT+ community is dealing with issues they did not choose to have in their lives, and that public perception has shifted markedly in the past 50 years. The battle is not won yet, but we are on the winning side. So, be strong and take heart, for God will fight for those God has made. Put your hope in the Lord.