Psalms 31
1 To the Chief Musician. A Melody of David. In thee, O Yahweh, have I sought refuge, Let me not be ashamed to times age-abiding, In thy righteousness, deliver me:
To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. In you, O Lord, have I put my hope; let me never be shamed; keep me safe in your righteousness.
2 Incline unto me, thine ear, Speedily rescue me, —Become to me a Rock of refuge, a Place of security, For saving me.
Let your ear be turned to me; take me quickly out of danger; be my strong Rock, my place of strength where I may be safe.
3 Because, my mountain crag and my stronghold, thou art, Therefore, for the sake of thine own Name, wilt thou lead me and guide me?
For you are my Rock and my strong tower; go in front of me and be my guide, because of your name.
4 Wilt thou bring me forth, out of the net which they have hidden for me? For, thou, art my refuge.
Take me out of the net which they have put ready for me secretly; for you are my strength.
5 Into thy hand, do I commit my spirit—Thou hast ransomed me, O Yahweh, GOD most faithful.
Into your hands I give my spirit; you are my saviour, O Lord God for ever true.
6 I hate such as give heed to false vanities, I, then, in Yahweh, have set my hope.
I am full of hate for those who go after false gods; but my hope is in the Lord.
7 I will indeed exult and rejoice, in thy lovingkindness, —In that thou hast looked upon my humiliation, thou hast taken note that in distresses was my life;
I will be glad and have delight in your mercy; because you have seen my trouble; you have had pity on my soul in its sorrows;
8 And hast not shut me up in the hand of the foe, Thou hast given standing, in a roomy place, unto my feet.
And you have not given me into the hand of my hater; you have put my feet in a wide place.
9 Show me favour, O Yahweh, for in distress am I, —Wasted with vexation, is mine eye—my soul and my body;
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eyes are wasted with grief, I am wasted in soul and body.
10 For, consumed with sorrow, is my life, and my years with sighing, —My strength hath staggered with my humiliation, and, my bones, are without marrow.
My life goes on in sorrow, and my years in weeping; my strength is almost gone because of my sin, and my bones are wasted away.
11 By reason of all mine adversaries, have I become a reproach. Even to my neighbours, altogether, and a dread to mine acquaintance, —They who have seen me abroad, have fled from me:
Because of all those who are against me, I have become a word of shame to my neighbours; a cause of shaking the head and a fear to my friends: those who saw me in the street went in flight from me.
12 I have been forgotten, like one dead—out of mind, I have been as a missing vessel.
I have gone from men's minds and memory like a dead man; I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the whispering of many—A terror round about! When they have sat in conclave together against me, to take away my life, have they intrigued.
False statements against me have come to my ears; fear was on every side: they were talking together against me, designing to take away my life.
14 I, therefore. in thee, have put my trust, O Yahweh, I have said, My God, thou art!
But I had faith in you, O Lord; I said, You are my God.
15 In thy hand, are my times, Rescue me from the hand of my foes and from my pursuers!
The chances of my life are in your hand; take me out of the hands of my haters, and of those who go after me.
16 Cause thy face to shine upon thy servant, Save me in thy lovingkindness.
Let your servant see the light of your face; in your mercy be my saviour.
17 O Yahweh! let me not be ashamed, For I have called upon thee, Let the lawless be ashamed, Go down in silence to hades! (Sheol h7585)
Let me not be shamed, O Lord, for I have made my prayer to you; let the sinners be shamed, and let their mouths be shut in the underworld. (Sheol h7585)
18 Let false lips be made dumb, —which are speaking—against a righteous one—arrogantly, with pride and contempt.
Let the false lips be shut, which say evil against the upright, looking down on him in their pride.
19 How great is thy goodness, which thou hast hidden away for them who revere thee, —Thou hast wrought for them who seek refuge in thee, in sight of the sons of men.
O how great is your grace, which you have put in store for your worshippers, and which you have made clear to those who had faith in you, before the sons of men!
20 Thou wilt conceal them, in the secrecy of thine own presence, from the conspiracies of men, —Thou wilt hide them in a pavilion, from the strife of tongues.
You will keep them safe in your house from the designs of man; in the secret of your tent will you keep them from angry tongues.
21 Blessed be Yahweh, for he hath made wonderful his lovingkindness for me, in a fortified city.
May the Lord be praised, because he has made clear to me the wonder of his grace in a strong town.
22 But, I, had said in mine alarm, I am cut off from before thine eyes, —But, indeed, thou didst hear the voice of my supplication, when I cried for help unto thee.
And as for me, I said in my fear, I am cut off from before your eyes; but you gave ear to the voice of my prayer, when my cry went up to you.
23 Love Yahweh, all ye his men of lovingkindness, —Faithfulness, doth Yahweh observe, but repayeth abundantly him that worketh proudly.
O have love for the Lord, all you his saints; for the Lord keeps safe from danger all those who are true to him, and gives the workers of pride their right reward.
24 Be strong, and let your heart be bold, all ye who are waiting for Yahweh.
Put away fear and let your heart be strong, all you whose hope is in the Lord.
