Psalms 31

1 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.

Yahweh, I have come to you to be protected; do not allow me to be [defeated, with the result that I am] disgraced. Since you always do what is fair/right, rescue me!

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

Listen to me, and save me right now! Be [like] a huge rock [under which I can hide] [MET] and [like] a strong fort in which I will be safe.

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

Yes, you are [like] my huge rock and my fort; guide me and lead me [DOU] in order that I can honor you [MTY].

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

You are the one who protects me, so keep me from falling into the hidden traps [that my enemies have set for me].

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

Yahweh, you are a God who can be trusted, so I put myself into your care because you rescued me.

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

Yahweh, I hate those who worship useless idols, but I trust in you.

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

I will be very glad [DOU] because you faithfully love me. You see me when I have been afflicted, and you have known when I have had troubles.

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

You have not allowed my enemies to capture me; instead, you have rescued me from danger.

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

[But now], Yahweh, be kind to me [again] because I am distressed. Because I cry [so much], I cannot see well, and I am completely exhausted.

10 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.

I have become very weak because I am [so] miserable, and it is causing my life to become shorter. I have become weak because of all my troubles; even my bones are becoming weaker.

11 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.

All of my enemies make fun of me, and [even] my neighbors despise me. [Even] my friends are afraid of me [because they think I am being punished by God], and when they see me on the streets, they run away.

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

People have forgotten me like they forget people who are dead. [They think I am as useless] as a broken pot.

13 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.

I have heard people slandering me, and they have caused me to become terrified. My enemies are making plans in order to kill me.

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

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

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

My whole life [MTY] is in your hands; save me from my enemies, from those who pursue me.

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

Be kind to me and rescue me because you always faithfully love me.

17 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)

Yahweh, I call out to you, so do not allow me to be disgraced. I desire that wicked people will be disgraced; I want them to [soon die and] go down to the place where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)

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

I desire that you will cause people [MTY] who tell lies to be unable to speak. Do that to people who are proud and those who arrogantly accuse righteous people.

19 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!

You have stored up many blessings for those who revere you. You do those good things for those who go to you to be protected; everyone sees you doing that.

20 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.

You hide people in your presence where it is safe, and protect them from people who plot [to kill them]. You hide them in safe places from their enemies [MTY] who accuse/insult them.

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

Praise Yahweh! When my enemies surrounded the city [in which I was living], he showed me in a wonderful way that he faithfully loves me.

22 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.

I was afraid, and I cried out, “I have been separated from Yahweh!” but you heard me and answered my cry for help.

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

You people who belong to Yahweh, love him! Those who are loyal to him, he protects, but those who are very proud, he punishes them severely like they deserve to be punished.

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

You who confidently expect Yahweh [to do great things for you], be strong, be courageous!