Psalms 31
1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David according to an ecstasy. In you, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be confounded. In your justice, deliver me.
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. Hasten to rescue me. Be for me a protector God and a house of refuge, so as to accomplish my salvation.
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 strength and my refuge; and for the sake of your name, you will lead me and nourish me.
For my rock and my fortress are you; lead me and guide me so your name will be honored.
4 You will lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me. For you are my protector.
Draw me out of the net they have hid for me, for you yourself are my refuge.
5 Into your hands, I commend 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 You have hated those who practice emptiness to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord.
I hate those devoted to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your mercy. For you have looked upon my humility; you have saved my soul from needfulness.
I will rejoice and be glad in your love, because you have looked on my misery, and cared for me in my distress.
8 And you have not enclosed me in the hands of the enemy. You have set my feet in a spacious place.
You have not given me into the enemy’s hand, you have set my feet in a spacious place.
9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am troubled. My eye has been disturbed by wrath, along with my soul and my gut.
Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am distressed; my eye is wasted away with sorrow.
10 For my life has fallen into sorrow, and my years into sighing. My virtue has been weakened in poverty, and my bones have been disturbed.
For my life is consumed with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength is broken with misery, my bones waste away.
11 I have become a disgrace among all my enemies, and even more so to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances. Those who catch sight of me, flee away from me.
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 have become forgotten, like one dead to the heart. I have become like a damaged utensil.
I am clean forgotten like the dead, am become like a ruined vessel.
13 For I have heard the harsh criticism of many who linger in the area. While assembled together against me in that place, they deliberated on how to take away my life.
I hear the whispers of many – terror on every side – scheming together against me, plotting to take my life.
14 But I have hoped in you, O Lord. I said, “You are my God.”
But my trust is in you, Lord. “You are my God,” I say;
15 My fate is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who are persecuting me.
my times are in your hand, save me from the hand of the foes who pursue me.
16 Shine your face upon your servant. Save me in your mercy.
Make your face to shine on your servant, save me in your love.
17 Do not let me be confounded, Lord, for I have called upon you. Let the impious be ashamed and be drawn down into Hell. (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 deceitful lips be silenced: those that speak iniquity against the just, in arrogance and in abusiveness.
Strike the false lips dumb, that speak proudly against the righteous with haughtiness and contempt.
19 How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you keep hidden for those who fear you, which you have perfected for those who hope in you, in the sight of the sons of men.
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 concealment of your face, from the disturbance of men. You protect them in your tabernacle, from the contradiction of 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 is the Lord. For he has shown his wonderful mercy to me, in a fortified city.
Blest be the Lord for the wonderful love he has shown me in time of distress.
22 But I said in the excess of my mind: “I have been cast away from the glance of your eyes.” And so, you heeded the voice of my prayer, while I was still crying out to you.
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 you his saints. For the Lord will require truth, and he will abundantly repay those who act with arrogance.
Love the Lord, all you faithful; the Lord protects the loyal, but repays the haughty in full.
24 Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord.
Let your hearts be courageous and strong, all you who wait on the Lord.
