Psalms 31
1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm of David. In Thee, O Jehovah, I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age, In Thy righteousness deliver me.
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 Incline unto me Thine ear hastily, deliver me, Be to me for a strong rock, For a house of bulwarks 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 my rock and my bulwark [art] Thou, For Thy name's sake lead me and tend 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 Bring me out from the net that they hid for me, For Thou [art] my strength.
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 Thy hand I commit my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Jehovah God of truth.
Yahweh, you are a God who can be trusted, so I put myself into your care because you rescued me.
6 I have hated the observers of lying vanities, And I toward Jehovah have been confident.
Yahweh, I hate those who worship useless idols, but I trust in you.
7 I rejoice, and am glad in Thy kindness, In that Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast known in adversities 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 And Thou hast not shut me up, Into the hand of an enemy, Thou hast caused my feet to stand in a broad place.
You have not allowed my enemies to capture me; instead, you have rescued me from danger.
9 Favour me, O Jehovah, for distress [is] to me, Mine eye, my soul, and my body Have become old by provocation.
[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 hath been consumed in sorrow And my years in sighing. Feeble because of mine iniquity hath been my strength, And my bones have become old.
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 Among all mine adversaries I have been a reproach, And to my neighbours exceedingly, And a fear to mine acquaintances, Those seeing me without — fled 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 have been forgotten as dead out of mind, I have been as a perishing vessel.
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 an evil account of many, Fear [is] round about. In their being united against me, To take my life they have devised,
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 And I on Thee — I have trusted, O Jehovah, I have said, 'Thou [art] my God.'
But Yahweh, I trust in you. You are my God.
15 In Thy hand [are] my times, Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from my pursuers.
My whole life [MTY] is in your hands; save me from my enemies, from those who pursue me.
16 Cause Thy face to shine on Thy servant, Save me in Thy kindness.
Be kind to me and rescue me because you always faithfully love me.
17 O Jehovah, let me not be ashamed, For I have called Thee, let the wicked be ashamed, Let them become silent to 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 Let lips of falsehood become dumb, That are speaking against the righteous, Ancient sayings, in pride 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 abundant is Thy goodness, That Thou hast laid up for those fearing Thee,
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 Thou hast wrought for those trusting in Thee, Before sons of men. Thou hidest them in the secret place of Thy presence, From artifices of man, Thou concealest them in a tabernacle, From the strife 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 [is] Jehovah, For He hath made marvellous His kindness To me in a city of bulwarks.
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 And I — I have said in my haste, 'I have been cut off from before Thine eyes,' But Thou hast heard the voice of my supplications, In my crying unto Thee.
I was afraid, and I cried out, “I have been separated from Yahweh!” but you heard me and answered my cry for help.
23 Love Jehovah, all ye His saints, Jehovah is keeping the faithful, And recompensing abundantly a proud doer.
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 He strengtheneth your heart, All ye who are waiting for Jehovah!
You who confidently expect Yahweh [to do great things for you], be strong, be courageous!
