Psalms 31
1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. In you, Yahweh, I take refuge; never let me be humiliated. Rescue me in your righteousness.
Yahweh, I have come to you to be protected; do not allow me to be [defeated, with the result that I am] disgraced. Since you always do what is fair/right, rescue me!
2 Listen to me; rescue me quickly; be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to save me.
Listen to me, and save me right now! Be [like] a huge rock [under which I can hide] [MET] and [like] a strong fort in which I will be safe.
3 For you are my rock and my fortress; therefore for your name's sake, lead and guide me.
Yes, you are [like] my huge rock and my fort; guide me and lead me [DOU] in order that I can honor you [MTY].
4 Pluck me out of the net that they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
You are the one who protects me, so keep me from falling into the hidden traps [that my enemies have set for me].
5 Into your hands I entrust my spirit; you will redeem me, Yahweh, God of trustworthiness.
Yahweh, you are a God who can be trusted, so I put myself into your care because you rescued me.
6 I hate those who serve worthless idols, but I trust in Yahweh.
Yahweh, I hate those who worship useless idols, but I trust in you.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your covenant faithfulness, for you saw my affliction; you knew the distress of my soul.
I will be very glad [DOU] because you faithfully love me. You see me when I have been afflicted, and you have known when I have had troubles.
8 You have not given me into the hand of my enemy. You have set my feet in a wide open place.
You have not allowed my enemies to capture me; instead, you have rescued me from danger.
9 Have mercy upon me, Yahweh, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weary with grief with my soul and my body.
[But now], Yahweh, be kind to me [again] because I am distressed. Because I cry [so much], I cannot see well, and I am completely exhausted.
10 For my life is weary with sorrow and my years with groaning. My strength fails because of my sin, and my bones are wasting away.
I have become very weak because I am [so] miserable, and it is causing my life to become shorter. I have become weak because of all my troubles; even my bones are becoming weaker.
11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; my neighbors are appalled at my situation, and those who know me are horrified. Those who see me in the street run from me.
All of my enemies make fun of me, and [even] my neighbors despise me. [Even] my friends are afraid of me [because they think I am being punished by God], and when they see me on the streets, they run away.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man whom no one thinks about. I am like a broken pot.
People have forgotten me like they forget people who are dead. [They think I am as useless] as a broken pot.
13 For I have heard the whispering of many, terrifying news from every side as they plot together against me. They plot to take away my life.
I have heard people slandering me, and they have caused me to become terrified. My enemies are making plans in order to kill me.
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh; I say, “You are my God.”
But Yahweh, I trust in you. You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand. Rescue me from the hands of my enemies and from those who pursue me.
My whole life [MTY] is in your hands; save me from my enemies, from those who pursue me.
16 Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your covenant faithfulness.
Be kind to me and rescue me because you always faithfully love me.
17 Do not let me be humiliated, Yahweh; for I call out to you! May the wicked be humiliated! May they be silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
Yahweh, I call out to you, so do not allow me to be disgraced. I desire that wicked people will be disgraced; I want them to [soon die and] go down to the place where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
18 May lying lips be silenced that speak against the righteous defiantly with arrogance and contempt.
I desire that you will cause people [MTY] who tell lies to be unable to speak. Do that to people who are proud and those who arrogantly accuse righteous people.
19 How great is your goodness that you have stored up for those who revere you, that you perform for those who take refuge in you before all the children of mankind!
You have stored up many blessings for those who revere you. You do those good things for those who go to you to be protected; everyone sees you doing that.
20 In the shelter of your presence, you hide them from the plots of men. You hide them in a shelter from the violence of tongues.
You hide people in your presence where it is safe, and protect them from people who plot [to kill them]. You hide them in safe places from their enemies [MTY] who accuse/insult them.
21 Blessed be Yahweh, for he showed me his marvelous covenant faithfulness when I was in a besieged city.
Praise Yahweh! When my enemies surrounded the city [in which I was living], he showed me in a wonderful way that he faithfully loves me.
22 Though I said in my haste, “I am cut off from your eyes,” yet you heard my plea for help when I cried to you.
I was afraid, and I cried out, “I have been separated from Yahweh!” but you heard me and answered my cry for help.
23 Oh, love Yahweh, all you faithful followers. Yahweh protects the faithful, but he pays back the arrogant in full.
You people who belong to Yahweh, love him! Those who are loyal to him, he protects, but those who are very proud, he punishes them severely like they deserve to be punished.
24 Be strong and confident, all you who trust in Yahweh for help.
You who confidently expect Yahweh [to do great things for you], be strong, be courageous!
