Psalm 31

New Living Translation

Psalm 31

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
²Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
³You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
⁴Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.
⁵I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

⁶I hate those who worship worthless idols.
    I trust in the Lord.
⁷I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
    for you have seen my troubles,
    and you care about the anguish of my soul.
⁸You have not handed me over to my enemies
    but have set me in a safe place.

⁹Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress.
    Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.
¹⁰I am dying from grief;
    my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
    I am wasting away from within.
¹¹I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me.
When they see me on the street,
    they run the other way.
¹²I am ignored as if I were dead,
    as if I were a broken pot.
¹³I have heard the many rumors about me,
    and I am surrounded by terror.
My enemies conspire against me,
    plotting to take my life.

¹⁴But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
¹⁵My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
¹⁶Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me.
¹⁷Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord,
    for I call out to you for help.
Let the wicked be disgraced;
    let them lie silent in the grave.^[a]
¹⁸Silence their lying lips—
    those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.

¹⁹How great is the goodness
    you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
    blessing them before the watching world.
²⁰You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues.

²¹Praise the Lord,
    for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
    He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
²²In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help.

²³Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
²⁴So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Footnotes

31:17 Hebrew in Sheol.

Psalm 31

Modern English Version

Psalm 31^(A)

For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.

¹In You, O Lord, do I seek refuge;
    may I never be ashamed;
    deliver me in Your righteousness.
²Incline Your ear to me;
    deliver me speedily;
be my strong rock,
    a strong fortress to save me.
³For You are my rock and my fortress;
    for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
⁴Lead me out of the net that they have hidden for me,
    for You are my strength.
⁵Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
    You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.

⁶I have hated those who regard worthless vanity,
    but I trust in the Lord.
⁷I will be glad and rejoice in Your lovingkindness,
    for You have seen my trouble;
    You have known my soul in adversities,
⁸and have not delivered me up into the hand of the enemy;
    You have set my feet in a broad place.

⁹Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;
    my eye wastes away with grief,
    yes, my soul and my body.
¹⁰For my life is spent with grief,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and my bones waste away.
¹¹I became a reproach among all my enemies,
    but especially among my neighbors,
and a dread to my acquaintances;
    those who saw me outside fled from me.
¹²I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind;
    I am like a broken vessel.
¹³For I have heard the slander of many;
    fear was on every side;
while they took counsel together against me,
    they planned to take away my life.

¹⁴But I trusted in You, O Lord;
    I said, “You are my God.”
¹⁵My times are in Your hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies
    and my pursuers.
¹⁶Make Your face to shine on Your servant;
    save me by Your lovingkindness.
¹⁷Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord,
    for I have called on You;
let the wicked be ashamed,
    and let them be silent in the grave.
¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence,
    who speak arrogantly
    in pride and contempt against the righteous.

¹⁹Oh, how great is Your goodness,
    which You have laid up for those who fear You,
which You have done for those
    seeking refuge in You before people!
²⁰You will hide them in the secret of Your presence
    from conspirators;
You will keep them secretly in a shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

²¹Blessed be the Lord,
    for He has shown me His marvelous lovingkindness
    in a fortified city.
²²For I said in my haste,
    “I am cut off from before Your eyes.”
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
    when I cried to You.

²³Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints,
    for the Lord preserves the faithful,
    but amply repays the one who acts in pride.
²⁴Be strong, and He will strengthen your heart,
    all you who wait for the Lord.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Modern English Version (MEV)

Psalm 31 New Living Translation