Psalms 31

1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David according to an ecstasy. In you, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be confounded. In your justice, deliver me.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me. Hasten to rescue me. Be for me a protector God and a house of refuge, so as to accomplish my salvation.

Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me.

3 For you are my strength and my refuge; and for the sake of your name, you will lead me and nourish me.

For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4 You will lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me. For you are my protector.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

5 Into your hands, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.

Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

6 You have hated those who practice emptiness to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord.

I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.

7 I will exult and rejoice in your mercy. For you have looked upon my humility; you have saved my soul from needfulness.

I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

8 And you have not enclosed me in the hands of the enemy. You have set my feet in a spacious place.

You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am troubled. My eye has been disturbed by wrath, along with my soul and my gut.

Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

10 For my life has fallen into sorrow, and my years into sighing. My virtue has been weakened in poverty, and my bones have been disturbed.

For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

11 I have become a disgrace among all my enemies, and even more so to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances. Those who catch sight of me, flee away from me.

Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, a horror to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

12 I have become forgotten, like one dead to the heart. I have become like a damaged utensil.

I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.

13 For I have heard the harsh criticism of many who linger in the area. While assembled together against me in that place, they deliberated on how to take away my life.

For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.

14 But I have hoped in you, O Lord. I said, “You are my God.”

But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

15 My fate is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who are persecuting me.

My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16 Shine your face upon your servant. Save me in your mercy.

Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.

17 Do not let me be confounded, Lord, for I have called upon you. Let the impious be ashamed and be drawn down into Hell. (Sheol h7585)

Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

18 May deceitful lips be silenced: those that speak iniquity against the just, in arrogance and in abusiveness.

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

19 How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you keep hidden for those who fear you, which you have perfected for those who hope in you, in the sight of the sons of men.

Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

20 You hide them in the concealment of your face, from the disturbance of men. You protect them in your tabernacle, from the contradiction of tongues.

In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed is the Lord. For he has shown his wonderful mercy to me, in a fortified city.

Praise be to Yahweh, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.

22 But I said in the excess of my mind: “I have been cast away from the glance of your eyes.” And so, you heeded the voice of my prayer, while I was still crying out to you.

As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints. For the Lord will require truth, and he will abundantly repay those who act with arrogance.

Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

24 Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh.