Psalm 31

1  IN YOU, O Lord, do I put my trust and seek refuge; let me never be put to shame or [have my hope in You] disappointed; deliver me in Your righteousness!2  Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily! Be my Rock of refuge, a strong Fortress to save me!3  Yes, You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me.4  Draw me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for You are my Strength and my Stronghold.5  Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness. 6  [You and] I abhor those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in, rely on, and confidently lean on the Lord.7  I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction, You have taken note of my life’s distresses,8  And You have not given me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place.9  Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; with grief my eye is weakened, also my inner self and my body.10  For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and even my bones have wasted away.11  To all my enemies I have become a reproach, but especially to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances, who flee from me on the street.12  I am forgotten like a dead man, and out of mind; like a broken vessel am I.13  For I have heard the slander of many; terror is on every side! While they schemed together against me, they plotted to take my life.14  But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God.15  My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me.16  Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me for Your mercy’s sake and in Your loving-kindness.17  Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, or disappointed, for I am calling upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol (the place of the dead).18  Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak insolently against the [consistently] righteous with pride and contempt.19  Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!20  In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.21  Blessed be the Lord! For He has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city.22  As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes. But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You for aid.23  O love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily.24  Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

Psalm 31

For the music director; a psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
Vindicate me by rescuing me!

2 Listen to me!
Quickly deliver me!
Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!

3 For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.

4 You will free me from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.

5 Into your hand I entrust my life;
you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.

6 I hate those who serve worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,
because you notice my pain
and you are aware of how distressed I am.

8 You do not deliver me over to the power of the enemy;
you enable me to stand in a wide open place.

9 Have mercy on me, for I am in distress!
My eyes grow dim from suffering.
I have lost my strength.

10 For my life nears its end in pain;
my years draw to a close as I groan.
My strength fails me because of my sin,
and my bones become brittle.

11 Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;
my neighbors are appalled by my suffering –
those who know me are horrified by my condition;
those who see me in the street run away from me.

12 I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about;
I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.

13 For I hear what so many are saying,
the terrifying news that comes from every direction.
When they plot together against me,
they figure out how they can take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord!
I declare, “You are my God!”

15 You determine my destiny!
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.

16 Smile on your servant!
Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,
for I call out to you!
May evil men be humiliated!
May they go wailing to the grave!

18 May lying lips be silenced –
lips that speak defiantly against the innocent
with arrogance and contempt!

19 How great is your favor,
which you store up for your loyal followers!
In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.

20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks of men;
you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks.

21 The Lord deserves praise
for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies.

22 I jumped to conclusions and said,
“I am cut off from your presence!”
But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers of his!
The Lord protects those who have integrity,
but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly.

24 Be strong and confident,
all you who wait on the Lord!