Psalms 31

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

For the leader. A psalm of David. In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me in your faithfulness;

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

incline to me your ear. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a rock of defence, a fortified house, to save me.

3 For you are my strength and my refuge; and you shall guide me for your name's sake, and maintain me.

For my rock and my fortress are you; lead me and guide me so your name will be honored.

4 You shall bring me out of the snare which they have hidden for me; for you, O Lord, are my defender.

Draw me out of the net they have hid for me, for you yourself are my refuge.

5 Into your hands I will commit my spirit: you have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Into your hand I commend my spirit: you ransom me, Lord, faithful God.

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

I hate those devoted to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord.

7 I will exult and be glad in your mercy: for you have looked upon mine affliction; you have saved my soul from distresses.

I will rejoice and be glad in your love, because you have looked on my misery, and cared for me in my distress.

8 And you have not shut me up into the hands of the enemy: you have set my feet in a wide place.

You have not given me into the enemy’s hand, you have set my feet in a spacious place.

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

Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am distressed; my eye is wasted away with sorrow.

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

For my life is consumed with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength is broken with misery, my bones waste away.

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

The scorn of all my foes, the butt of my neighbors am I, a terror to my acquaintance. At the sight of me in the street people turn quickly away.

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

I am clean forgotten like the dead, am become like a ruined vessel.

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

I hear the whispers of many – terror on every side – scheming together against me, plotting to take my life.

14 But I hoped in you, O Lord: I said, You are my God.

But my trust is in you, Lord. “You are my God,” I say;

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

my times are in your hand, save me from the hand of the foes who pursue me.

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

Make your face to shine on your servant, save me in your love.

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

Put me not, O Lord, to shame, for I have called upon you. Let the wicked be put to shame silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

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

Strike the false lips dumb, that speak proudly against the righteous with haughtiness and contempt.

19 How abundant is the multitude of your goodness, O Lord, which you have laid up for them that fear you! you have wrought [it] out for them that hope on you, in the presence of the sons of men.

How great is the goodness you have treasured for those who fear you, and wrought for those who take refuge in you, in plain sight of all!

20 You will hide them in the secret of your presence from the vexation of man: you will screen them in a tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

In your sheltering wings you hide them from plottings of people, you keep them safe in a bower from the chiding of tongues.

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

Blest be the Lord for the wonderful love he has shown me in time of distress.

22 But I said in my extreme fear, I am cast out from the sight of your eyes: therefore you did listen, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication when I cried to you.

For I had said in panic, “I am driven clean out of your sight.” But you heard my plea, when I cried to you for help.

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

Love the Lord, all you faithful; the Lord protects the loyal, but repays the haughty in full.

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

Let your hearts be courageous and strong, all you who wait on the Lord.