Psalms 31

1 For the end, a Psalm of David, [an utterance] of extreme fear. O Lord, I have hoped in you; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in your righteousness and rescue me.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. In you, LORD, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me; make haste to rescue me: be you to me for a protecting God, and for a house of refuge to save me.

Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defence to save me.

3 For you are my strength and my refuge; and you shall guide me for your name's sake, and maintain me.

For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4 You shall bring me out of the snare which they have hidden for me; for you, O Lord, are my defender.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

5 Into your hands I will commit my spirit: you have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, LORD, God of truth.

6 You has hated them that idly persist in vanities: but I have hoped in the Lord.

I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in the LORD.

7 I will exult and be glad in your mercy: for you have looked upon mine affliction; you have saved my soul from distresses.

I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

8 And you have not shut me up into the hands of the enemy: you have set my feet in a wide place.

You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Pity me, O Lord, for I am afflicted: my eye is troubled with indignation, my soul and by belly.

Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with groanings: my strength has been weakened through poverty, and my bones are troubled.

For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

11 I became a reproach amongst all mine enemies, but exceedingly so to my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that saw me without fled from me.

Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbours, a horror to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

12 I have been forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am become as a broken vessel.

I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.

13 For I heard the slander of many that lived round about: when they were gathered together against me, they took counsel to take my life.

For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.

14 But I hoped in you, O Lord: I said, You are my God.

But I trust in you, LORD. I said, “You are my God.”

15 My lots are in your hands: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,

My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16 and from them that persecute me. Make your face to shine upon your servant: save me in your mercy.

Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.

17 O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called upon you: let the ungodly be ashamed, and brought down to Hades. (Sheol h7585)

Let me not be disappointed, LORD, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

18 Let the deceitful lips become dumb, which speak iniquity against the righteous with pride and scorn.

Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

19 How abundant is the multitude of your goodness, O Lord, which you have laid up for them that fear you! you have wrought [it] out for them that hope on you, in the presence of the sons of men.

Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

20 You will hide them in the secret of your presence from the vexation of man: you will screen them in a tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord: for he has magnified his mercy in a fortified city.

Praise be to the LORD, for he has shown me his marvellous loving kindness in a strong city.

22 But I said in my extreme fear, I am cast out from the sight of your eyes: therefore you did listen, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication when I cried to you.

As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints: for the Lord seeks for truth, and renders [a reward] to them that deal very proudly.

Oh love the LORD, all you his holy ones! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

24 Be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, all you that hope in the Lord.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.