< 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.
“To the chief musician, a psalm of David.” In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; Oh that I may never be put to shame: through thy righteousness do thou release me.
2 Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.
Bend unto me thy ear; speedily deliver me: be thou unto me as a rock of protection, as a mountain strong-hold to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.
For my rock and my stronghold art thou; and for the sake of thy name lead me, and guide me.
4 You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.
Draw me out of the net which they have laid secretly for me; for thou art my protection.
5 Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.
Into thy hand do I commit my spirit: thou redeemest me, O Lord, the God of truth.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.
I hate those that depend on lying vanities; but I trust indeed 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 kindness; because thou hast seen my misery; thou hast taken cognizance of the distresses of my soul;
8 You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
And thou hast not surrendered me into the hand of the enemy: thou hast caused my feet to stand on an ample space.
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; my eye is consumed through vexation—my soul [too] 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 with sorrow, and my years with sighing, my strength faileth because of my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
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 my assailants am I become a reproach, and unto my neighbors greatly so, and a terror to my acquaintance, those that see me abroad flee away 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 the heart: I am become like a perishable 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 slandering of many; terror was on every side, while they took counsel together against me: to take away my life did they purpose.
14 But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
But I trusted well in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
In thy hand are my destinies: deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from my persecutors.
16 Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion.
Let thy face shine upon thy servant: save me through thy kindness.
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 put to shame; for I have called on thee: let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent, [passing] to 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 made dumb, which speak hard things 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 great is thy goodness, which thou hast treasured up for those that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for those that trust in thee before 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 wilt conceal them in the secret of thy presence from the conspiracy of men: thou wilt keep them secretly 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 kindness wonderfully in a beleaguered 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.
And yet had I said in my despondency, I am cut off from before thy eyes: nevertheless thou didst hear the voice of my supplications when I cried loudly unto thee.
23 Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.
Oh love the Lord, all ye his pious ones: the Lord preserveth the faithful, and recompenses the presumption of him that acteth proudly.
24 Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.
Be strong, and let your heart be of good courage, all ye that hope in the Lord.

< Psalms 31 >