Psalm 31–32

Psalm 31

For the choir director; a psalm by David. 

¹I have taken refuge in you, O Lord. 

Never let me be put to shame. 

Save me because of your righteousness. 

²Turn your ear toward me. 

Rescue me quickly. 

Be a rock of refuge for me, 

a strong fortress to save me. 

³Indeed, you are my rock and my fortress. 

For the sake of your name, lead me and guide me. 

⁴You are my refuge, 

so pull me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me. 

⁵Into your hands I entrust my spirit. 

You have rescued me, O Lord, God of truth. 

⁶I hate those who cling to false gods, but I trust the Lord. 

⁷I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy. 

You have seen my misery. 

You have known the troubles in my soul. 

⁸You have not handed me over to the enemy. 

You have set my feet in a place where I can move freely. 

⁹Have pity on me, O Lord, because I am in distress. 

My eyes, my soul, and my body waste away from grief. 

¹⁰My life is exhausted from sorrow, 

my years from groaning. 

My strength staggers under ⸤the weight of⸥ my guilt, 

and my bones waste away. 

¹¹I have become a disgrace because of all my opponents. 

I have become someone dreaded by my friends, 

even by my neighbors. 

Those who see me on the street run away from me. 

¹²I have faded from memory as if I were dead 

and have become like a piece of broken pottery. 

¹³I have heard the whispering of many people— 

terror on every side— 

while they made plans together against me. 

They were plotting to take my life. 

¹⁴I trust you, O Lord. 

I said, “You are my God.” 

¹⁵My future is in your hands. 

Rescue me from my enemies, from those who persecute me. 

¹⁶Smile on me. 

Save me with your mercy. 

¹⁷O Lord, I have called on you, so do not let me be put to shame, 

Let wicked people be put to shame. 

Let them be silent in the grave. 

¹⁸Let ⸤their⸥ lying lips be speechless, 

since they speak against righteous people with arrogance and contempt. 

¹⁹Your kindness is so great! 

You reserve it for those who fear you. 

Adam’s descendants watch 

as you show it to those who take refuge in you. 

²⁰You hide them in the secret place of your presence 

from those who scheme against them. 

You keep them in a shelter, 

safe from quarrelsome tongues. 

²¹Thank the Lord! 

He has shown me the miracle of his mercy 

in a city under attack. 

²²When I was panic-stricken, I said, 

“I have been cut off from your sight.” 

But you heard my pleas for mercy when I cried out to you for help. 

²³Love the Lord, all you godly ones! 

The Lord protects faithful people, 

but he pays back in full those who act arrogantly. 

²⁴Be strong, all who wait with hope for the Lord, 

and let your heart be courageous. 

Psalm 32

A psalm by David; a maskil.^a

¹Blessed is the person whose disobedience is forgiven 

and whose sin is pardoned. 

²Blessed is the person whom the Lord no longer accuses of sin 

and who has no deceitful thoughts. 

³When I kept silent ⸤about my sins⸥, 

my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long. 

⁴Day and night your hand laid heavily on me. 

My strength shriveled in the summer heat. 

Selah 

⁵I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. 

I decided to confess them to you, O Lord. 

Then you forgave all my sins. 

Selah 

⁶For this reason let all godly people pray to you 

when you may be found. 

Then raging floodwater will not reach them. 

⁷You are my hiding place. 

You protect me from trouble. 

You surround me with joyous songs of salvation. 

Selah 

⁸⸤The Lord says,⸥ 

“I will instruct you. 

I will teach you the way that you should go. 

I will advise you as my eyes watch over you. 

⁹Don’t be stubborn like a horse or mule. 

⸤They need⸥ a bit and bridle in their mouth to restrain them, 

or they will not come near you.” 

¹⁰Many heartaches await wicked people, 

but mercy surrounds those who trust the Lord. 

¹¹Be glad and find joy in the Lord, you righteous people. 

Sing with joy, all whose motives are decent.