Psalm 31
Expanded Bible
A Prayer of Faith in Troubled Times
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
31 Lord, I ·trust [seek refuge] in you;
let me never be ·disgraced [shamed].
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me ·because you do what is right [in your righteousness].
2 ·Listen [L Incline your ear] to me
and ·save [rescue; T deliver] me quickly.
Be my rock of ·protection [refuge],
a strong ·city [fortress] to save me.
3 You are my rock and my ·protection [fortress].
For the ·good [sake] of your name, lead me and guide me.
4 Set me free from the ·trap [snare; net] they ·set [hid] for me,
because you are my ·protection [refuge].
5 ·I give you my life [L Into your hand I commend my spirit; Luke 23:46].
·Save [Redeem; or You have redeemed] me, Lord, ·God of truth [or faithful God].
6 I hate those who ·worship [serve; have concern for] ·false [worthless] gods.
I ·trust [have confidence] only in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your ·love [loyalty; covenant love],
because you saw my ·suffering [affliction];
you knew ·my troubles [the distress of my soul].
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
but have ·set me in a safe place [L made my feet stand in a broad place].
9 Lord, ·have mercy [be gracious], because I am in ·misery [distress; trouble].
My eyes ·are weak [waste away; are dim] from so much crying,
·and my whole being is tired [L as is my soul and my body] from grief.
10 My life is ending in ·sadness [sorrow],
and my years are spent ·in crying [L with sighs/moans].
My ·troubles are using up my strength [L strength stumbles in my affliction/misery],
and my bones ·are getting weaker [waste away].
11 Because of all my ·troubles [distress], my enemies ·hate [scorn] me,
and even my neighbors look down on me.
When my ·friends [acquaintances] see me in public,
they are afraid and ·run [flee].
12 I am like a piece of a broken pot.
I am forgotten as if I were dead.
13 I have heard many ·insults [threats].
Terror is all around me.
They make plans against me
and ·want [plot] to kill me.
14 Lord, I ·trust [have confidence in] you.
I have said, “You are my God.”
15 My ·life is [times/fortunes are] in your hands.
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me from my enemies
and from those who are ·chasing [pursuing] me.
16 ·Show your kindness to me, [Shine your face on] your servant [Num. 6:25].
Save me because of your ·love [loyalty; covenant love].
17 Lord, I ·called [prayed] to you,
so do not let me be ·disgraced [shamed].
Let the wicked be ·disgraced [shamed]
and lie silent in ·the grave [or the underworld; L Sheol].
18 With pride and hatred
they speak against ·those who do right [the righteous].
So silence their lying lips.
19 How great is your goodness
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you have ·given to [L accomplished for] those who ·trust [have confidence in] you.
·You do this for all to see [L …before humanity].
20 You ·protect [hide] them ·by your [L in the shelter of your] presence
from what people plan against them.
You ·shelter them [L store them in shelter] from ·evil words [contentious/accusing tongues].
21 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord.
His ·love [loyalty; covenant love] to me was wonderful
when ·my city was attacked [or I was like a city under siege].
22 In my ·distress [alarm], I said,
“·God cannot see me [L I am cut off from your eyes]!”
But you heard my ·prayer [supplication]
when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you ·who belong to him [loyal ones; saints].
The Lord protects those who ·truly believe [are faithful],
but he ·punishes [repays] ·the proud as much as they have sinned [L those who act with pride].
24 All you who ·put your hope in [wait for] the Lord
be strong and ·brave [L let your heart be courageous].
Psalm 31
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
31 In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in thy righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline thy ear to me,
rescue me speedily!
Be thou a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
3 Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress;
for thy name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net which is hidden for me,
for thou art my refuge.
5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit;
thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 Thou hatest[a] those who pay regard to vain idols;
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad for thy steadfast love,
because thou hast seen my affliction,
thou hast taken heed of my adversities,
8 and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
thou hast set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief,
my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,[b]
and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror[c] to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13 Yea, I hear the whispering of many—
terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in thee, O Lord,
I say, “Thou art my God.”
15 My times are in thy hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!
16 Let thy face shine on thy servant;
save me in thy steadfast love!
17 Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,
for I call on thee;
let the wicked be put to shame,
let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be dumb,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is thy goodness,
which thou hast laid up for those who fear thee,
and wrought for those who take refuge in thee,
in the sight of the sons of men!
20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them
from the plots of men;
thou holdest them safe under thy shelter
from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was beset as in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am driven far[d] from thy sight.”
But thou didst hear my supplications,
when I cried to thee for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 31:6 With one Heb Ms Gk Syr Jerome: Heb I hate
- Psalm 31:10 Gk Syr: Heb iniquity
- Psalm 31:11 Cn: Heb exceedingly
- Psalm 31:22 Another reading is cut off
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The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.