Psalms 31

1 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.

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

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

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

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

For thou art my strength and my refuge; and thou shalt guide me for thy name's sake, and maintain me.

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

Thou shalt bring me out of the snare which they have hidden for me; for thou, O Lord, art my defender.

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

Into thine hands I will commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

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

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

7 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,

I will exult and be glad in thy mercy: for thou hast looked upon mine affliction; thou hast saved my soul from distresses.

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

And thou hast not shut me up into the hands of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a wide place.

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

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

10 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.

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

11 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.

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

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

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

13 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.

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

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

But I hoped in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

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

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

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

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

17 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)

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

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

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

19 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!

How abundant is the multitude of thy goodness, O Lord, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee! thou hast wrought [it] out for them that hope on thee, in the presence of the sons of men.

20 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.

Thou wilt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the vexation of man: thou wilt screen them in a tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

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

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

22 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.

But I said in my extreme fear, I am cast out from the sight of thine eyes: therefore thou didst hearken, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication when I cried to thee.

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

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

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

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