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.

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.

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 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.

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

For you are my strength and my refuge; and for the sake of your name, you will lead me and nourish me.

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

You will lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me. For you are my protector.

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

Into your hands, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.

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

You have hated those who practice emptiness to no purpose. 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 rejoice in your mercy. For you have looked upon my humility; you have saved my soul from needfulness.

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

And you have not enclosed me in the hands of the enemy. You have set my feet in a spacious 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.

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am troubled. My eye has been disturbed by wrath, along with my soul and my gut.

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 has fallen into sorrow, and my years into sighing. My virtue has been weakened in poverty, and my bones have been disturbed.

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 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.

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

I have become forgotten, like one dead to the heart. I have become like a damaged utensil.

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 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.

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

But I have hoped in you, O Lord. I said, “You are my God.”

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

My fate is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who are persecuting me.

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

Shine your face upon your servant. Save me in your 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)

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)

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

May deceitful lips be silenced: those that speak iniquity against the just, in arrogance and in abusiveness.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

Blessed is the Lord. For he has shown his wonderful mercy to me, 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 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.

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 you his saints. For the Lord will require truth, and he will abundantly repay those who act with arrogance.

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

Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord.