Psalm 31

A Prayer of Faith in Troubled Times

1 Lord, I trust in you; let me never be disgraced. Save me because you do what is right.

2 Listen to me and save me quickly.
Be my rock of protection, a strong city to save me.

3 You are my rock and my protection. For the good of your name, lead me and guide me.

4 Set me free from the trap they set for me, because you are my protection.

5 I give you my life. Save me, Lord, God of truth.

6 I hate those who worship false gods. I trust only in the Lord.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, because you saw my suffering; you knew my troubles.

8 You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place.

9 Lord, have mercy, because I am in misery. My eyes are weak from so much crying, and my whole being is tired from grief.

10 My life is ending in sadness, and my years are spent in crying.
My troubles are using up my strength, and my bones are getting weaker.

11 Because of all my troubles, my enemies hate me, and even my neighbors look down on me.
When my friends see me, they are afraid and run.

12 I am like a piece of a broken pot. I am forgotten as if I were dead.

13 I have heard many insults. Terror is all around me.
They make plans against me and want to kill me.

14 Lord, I trust you. I have said, “You are my God.”

15 My life is in your hands. Save me from my enemies and from those who are chasing me.

16 Show your kindness to me, your servant. Save me because of your love.

17 Lord, I called to you, so do not let me be disgraced.
Let the wicked be disgraced and lie silent in the grave.

18 With pride and hatred they speak against those who do right.
So silence their lying lips.

19 How great is your goodness that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you have given to those who trust you. You do this for all to see.

20 You protect them by your presence from what people plan against them. You shelter them from evil words.

21 Praise the Lord. His love to me was wonderful when my city was attacked.

22 In my distress, I said, “God cannot see me!”
But you heard my prayer when I cried out to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you who belong to him. The Lord protects those who truly believe, but he punishes the proud as much as they have sinned.
24 All you who put your hope in the Lord be strong and brave.

Psalm 31

1 In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge; Let me never be put to shame: Deliver me in thy righteousness.

2 Bow down thine ear unto me; deliver me speedily: Be thou to me a strong rock, A house of defence to save me.

3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; Therefore for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; For thou art my stronghold.

5 Into thy hand I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Jehovah, thou God of truth.

6 I hate them that regard lying vanities; But I trust in Jehovah.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy lovingkindness; For thou hast seen my affliction: Thou hast known my soul in adversities;

8 And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a large place.

9 Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah, for I am in distress: Mine eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my body.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow, And my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And my bones are wasted away.

11 Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, Yea, unto my neighbors exceedingly, And a fear to mine acquaintance: They that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the defaming of many, Terror on every side: While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life.

14 But I trusted in thee, O Jehovah: I said, Thou art my God.

15 My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: Save me in thy lovingkindness.

17 Let me not be put to shame, O Jehovah; for I have called upon thee: Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be dumb, Which speak against the righteous insolently, With pride and contempt.

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, Which thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in thee, Before the sons of men!

20 In the covert of thy presence wilt thou hide them from the plottings of man: Thou wilt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be Jehovah; For he hath showed me his marvellous lovingkindness in a strong 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.

23 Oh love Jehovah, all ye his saints: Jehovah preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth him that dealeth proudly.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All ye that hope in Jehovah.