Psalm 31

Psalm 31^a

31:1–4pp—Ps 71:1–3

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;^v

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.^w

²Turn your ear to me,^x

come quickly to my rescue;^y

be my rock of refuge,^z

a strong fortress to save me.

³Since you are my rock and my fortress,^a

for the sake of your name^b lead and guide me.

⁴Keep me free from the trap^c that is set for me,

for you are my refuge.^d

⁵Into your hands I commit my spirit;^e

deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.^f

⁶I hate those who cling to worthless idols;^g

as for me, I trust in the Lord.^h

⁷I will be glad and rejoice in your love,

for you saw my afflictionⁱ

and knew the anguish^j of my soul.

⁸You have not given me into the hands^k of the enemy

but have set my feet in a spacious place.^l

⁹Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;^m

my eyes grow weak with sorrow,ⁿ

my soul and body^o with grief.

¹⁰My life is consumed by anguish^p

and my years by groaning;^q

my strength fails^r because of my affliction,^bs

and my bones grow weak.^t

¹¹Because of all my enemies,^u

I am the utter contempt^v of my neighbors^w

and an object of dread to my closest friends—

those who see me on the street flee from me.

¹²I am forgotten as though I were dead;^x

I have become like broken pottery.

¹³For I hear many whispering,^y

“Terror on every side!”^z

They conspire against me^a

and plot to take my life.^b

¹⁴But I trust^c in you, Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵My times^d are in your hands;

deliver me from the hands of my enemies,

from those who pursue me.

¹⁶Let your face shine^e on your servant;

save me in your unfailing love.^f

¹⁷Let me not be put to shame,^g Lord,

for I have cried out to you;

but let the wicked be put to shame

and be silent^h in the realm of the dead.

¹⁸Let their lying lipsⁱ be silenced,

for with pride and contempt

they speak arrogantly^j against the righteous.

¹⁹How abundant are the good things^k

that you have stored up for those who fear you,

that you bestow in the sight of all,^l

on those who take refuge^m in you.

²⁰In the shelterⁿ of your presence you hide^o them

from all human intrigues;^p

you keep them safe in your dwelling

from accusing tongues.

²¹Praise be to the Lord,^q

for he showed me the wonders of his love^r

when I was in a city under siege.^s

²²In my alarm^t I said,

“I am cut off^u from your sight!”

Yet you heard my cry^v for mercy

when I called to you for help.

²³Love the Lord, all his faithful people!^w

The Lord preserves those who are true to him,^x

but the proud he pays back^y in full.

²⁴Be strong and take heart,^z

all you who hope in the Lord.