Psalm 31

Psalm 31

A PLEA FOR PROTECTION

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

¹Lord, I seek refuge in you;

let me never be disgraced.^l

Save me by your righteousness.

²Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a mountain fortress to save me.^m

³For you are my rock and my fortress;ⁿ

you lead and guide me

for your name’s sake.^o

⁴You will free me from the net

that is secretly set for me,

for you are my refuge.^p

⁵Into your hand I entrust my spirit;^q

you have redeemed me,^A Lord, God of truth.^r

⁶I^B hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,

but I trust in the Lord.^s

⁷I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love

because you have seen my affliction.

You know the troubles of my soul^t

⁸and have not handed me over to the enemy.^u

You have set my feet in a spacious place.^v

⁹Be gracious to me, Lord,

because I am in distress;^w

my eyes are worn out from frustration—

my whole being^C as well.^x

¹⁰Indeed, my life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning;^y

my strength has failed

because of my iniquity,^D

and my bones waste away.^z

¹¹I am ridiculed by all my adversaries

and even by my neighbors.

I am dreaded by my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street run from me.^aa

¹²I am forgotten: gone from memory

like a dead person—like broken pottery.^ab

¹³I have heard the gossip of many;

terror is on every side.^ac

When they conspired against me,

they plotted to take my life.^ad

¹⁴But I trust in you, Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”^ae

¹⁵The course of my life is in your power;^af

rescue me from the power of my enemies

and from my persecutors.^ag

¹⁶Make your face shine on your servant;^ah

save me by your faithful love.^ai

¹⁷Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you.^aj

Let the wicked be disgraced;

let them be quiet^EF in Sheol.^ak

¹⁸Let lying lips^al

that arrogantly speak against the righteous

in proud contempt be silenced.^am

¹⁹How great is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you.

In the presence of everyone^G you have acted

for those who take refuge in you.^a

²⁰You hide them in the protection of your presence;^A

you conceal them in a shelter

from human schemes,

from quarrelsome tongues.^b

²¹Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me

in a city under siege.^c

²²In my alarm I said,

“I am cut off from your sight.”^d

But you heard the sound of my pleading

when I cried to you for help.^e

²³Love the Lord, all his faithful ones.^f

The Lord protects the loyal,

but fully repays the arrogant.^g

²⁴Be strong, and let your heart be courageous,^B

all you who put your hope in the Lord.^h