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 you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me in your faithfulness;

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

incline to me your ear. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a rock of defence, a fortified house, 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 fortress are you; lead me and guide me so your name will be honored.

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

Draw me out of the net they have hid for me, for you yourself are my refuge.

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

Into your hand I commend my spirit: you ransom me, Lord, faithful God.

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

I hate those devoted to worthless idols; 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 rejoice and be glad in your love, because you have looked on my misery, and cared for me in my distress.

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

You have not given me into the enemy’s hand, you have set my feet in a spacious 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 to me, Lord, for I am distressed; my eye is wasted away with sorrow.

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 consumed with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength is broken with misery, my bones waste 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.

The scorn of all my foes, the butt of my neighbors am I, a terror to my acquaintance. At the sight of me in the street people turn quickly away.

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

I am clean forgotten like the dead, am become like a ruined 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.

I hear the whispers of many – terror on every side – scheming together against me, plotting to take my life.

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

But my trust is in you, Lord. “You are my God,” I say;

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

my times are in your hand, save me from the hand of the foes who pursue me.

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

Make your face to shine on your servant, save me in your love.

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)

Put me not, O Lord, to shame, for I have called upon you. Let the wicked be put to shame silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

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

Strike the false lips dumb, that speak proudly against the righteous with haughtiness 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!

How great is the goodness you have treasured for those who fear you, and wrought for those who take refuge in you, in plain sight of all!

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.

In your sheltering wings you hide them from plottings of people, you keep them safe in a bower from the chiding of tongues.

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

Blest be the Lord for the wonderful love he has shown me in time of distress.

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.

For I had said in panic, “I am driven clean out of your sight.” But you heard my plea, when I cried to you for help.

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

Love the Lord, all you faithful; the Lord protects the loyal, but repays the haughty in full.

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

Let your hearts be courageous and strong, all you who wait on the Lord.