Psalms 31

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me in your faithfulness;

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

2 incline to me your ear. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a rock of defence, a fortified house, to save me.

Bow down thine ear unto me; deliver me speedily: be thou to me a strong rock, an house of defence to save me.

3 For my rock and my fortress are you; lead me and guide me so your name will be honoured.

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4 Draw me out of the net they have hid for me, for you yourself are my refuge.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; for thou art my strong hold.

5 Into your hand I commend my spirit: you ransom me, Lord, faithful God.

Into thine hand I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, thou God of truth.

6 I hate those devoted to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord.

I hate them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in your love, because you have looked on my misery, and cared for me in my distress.

I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast seen my affliction; thou hast known my soul in adversities:

8 You have not given me into the enemy’s hand, you have set my feet in a spacious place.

And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my feet in a large place.

9 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am distressed; my eye is wasted away with sorrow.

Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in distress: mine eye wasteth away with grief, [yea], my soul and my body.

10 For my life is consumed with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength is broken with misery, my bones waste away.

For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.

11 The scorn of all my foes, the butt of my neighbours am I, a terror to my acquaintance. At the sight of me in the street people turn quickly away.

Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am clean forgotten like the dead, am become like a ruined vessel.

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 I hear the whispers of many – terror on every side – scheming together against me, plotting to take my life.

For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But my trust is in you, Lord. ‘You are my God,’ I say;

But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

15 my times are in your hand, save me from the hand of the foes who pursue me.

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine on your servant, save me in your love.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me in thy lovingkindness.

17 Put me not, O Lord, to shame, for I have called upon you. Let the wicked be put to shame silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

Let me not he ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

18 Strike the false lips dumb, that speak proudly against the righteous with haughtiness and contempt.

Let the lying lips be dumb; which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

19 How great is the goodness you have treasured for those who fear you, and wrought for those who take refuge in you, in plain sight of all!

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that put their trust in thee, before the sons of men!

20 In your sheltering wings you hide them from plottings of people, you keep them safe in a bower from the chiding of tongues.

In the covert of thy presence shalt thou hide them from the plottings of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blest be the Lord for the wonderful love he has shown me in time of distress.

Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvelous lovingkindness in a strong city.

22 For I had said in panic, ‘I am driven clean out of your sight.’ But you heard my plea, when I cried to you for help.

As for me, I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23 Love the Lord, all you faithful; the Lord protects the loyal, but repays the haughty in full.

O love the LORD, all ye his saints: the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

24 Let your hearts be courageous and strong, all you who wait on the Lord.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that hope in the LORD.