Psalm 31

Psalm 31

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

¹Lord, I seek refuge in You;

let me never be disgraced. ^e

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. ^f

³For You are my rock and my fortress; ^g

You lead and guide me

because of Your name. ^h

⁴You will free me from the net

that is secretly set for me,

for You are my refuge. ⁱ

⁵Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; ^j

You redeem ^kme, Lord, God of truth. ^l

⁶I ^mhate those who are devoted to worthless idols,

but I trust in the Lord. ⁿ

⁷I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithful love

because You have seen my affliction.

You have known the troubles of my life ^o

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

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

⁹Be gracious to me, Lord,

because I am in distress; ^r

my eyes are worn out from angry sorrow—

my whole being ^sas well. ^t

¹⁰Indeed, my life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning; ^u

my strength has failed

because of my sinfulness, ^v

and my bones waste away. ^w

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. ^x

¹²I am forgotten: gone from memory

like a dead person—like broken pottery. ^y

¹³I have heard the gossip of many;

terror is on every side. ^z

When they conspired against me,

they plotted to take my life. ^a

¹⁴But I trust in You, Lord;

I say, “You are my God.” ^b

¹⁵The course of my life is in Your power; ^c

deliver me from the power of my enemies

and from my persecutors. ^d

¹⁶Show Your favor to Your servant;

save me by Your faithful love. ^e

¹⁷Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on You. ^f

Let the wicked be disgraced;

let them be silent ^ghin Sheol. ⁱ

¹⁸Let lying lips be quieted; ^j

they speak arrogantly against the righteous

with pride and contempt. ^k

¹⁹How great is Your goodness

that You have stored up for those who fear You

and accomplished in the sight of everyone

for those who take refuge in You. ^l

²⁰You hide them in the protection of Your presence;

You conceal them in a shelter ^m

from the schemes of men,

from quarrelsome tongues. ⁿ

²¹May the Lord be praised,

for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me

in a city under siege. ^op

²²In my alarm I had said,

“I am cut off from Your sight.” ^q

But You heard the sound of my pleading

when I cried to You for help. ^r

²³Love the Lord, all His faithful ones. ^s

The Lord protects the loyal,

but fully repays the arrogant. ^t

²⁴Be strong ^uand courageous,

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