Psalms 31

1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; save me by Your righteousness.

For the Leader. A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Thy righteousness.

2 Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.

Incline Thine ear unto me, deliver me speedily; be Thou to me a rock of refuge, even a fortress of defence, to save me.

3 For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.

For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name's sake lead me and guide me.

4 You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.

Bring me forth out of the net that they have hidden for me; for Thou art my stronghold.

5 Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.

Into Thy hand I commit my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, Thou God of truth.

6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.

I hate them that regard lying vanities; but I trust in the LORD.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul.

I will be glad and rejoice in Thy lovingkindness; for Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast taken cognizance of the troubles of my soul,

8 You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.

And Thou hast not given me over into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well.

Be gracious unto me, O LORD, for I am in distress; mine eye wasteth away with vexation, yea, my soul and my body.

10 For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

For my life is spent in sorrow, and my years in sighing; my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.

11 Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends— they flee when they see me on the street.

Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a dread to mine acquaintance; they that see me without flee from me.

12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel.

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel.

13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

For I have heard the whispering of many, terror on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

But as for me, I have trusted in Thee, O LORD; I have said: 'Thou art my God.'

15 My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

My times are in Thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion.

Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy lovingkindness.

17 O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, let them be put to silence in the nether-world. (Sheol h7585)

18 May lying lips be silenced— lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.

Let the lying lips be dumb, which speak arrogantly against the righteous, with pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!

Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men!

20 You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.

Thou hidest them in the covert of Thy presence from the plottings of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His loving devotion in a city under siege.

Blessed be the LORD; for He hath shown me His wondrous lovingkindness in an entrenched city.

22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.

As for me, I said in my haste: 'I am cut off from before Thine eyes'; nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee.

23 Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.

O love the LORD, all ye His godly ones; the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily.

24 Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that wait for the LORD.