Psalm 31

The Voice

³ You are my rock and my fortress—my soul’s sanctuary!
    Therefore, for the sake of Your reputation, be my leader, my guide, my navigator, my commander.
⁴ Save me from the snare that has been secretly set out for me,
    for You are my protection.
⁵ I entrust my spirit into Your hands.^[a]
    You have redeemed me, O Eternal, God of faithfulness and truth.

⁶ I despise the people who pay respect to breathless idols,
    and I trust only in You, Eternal One.
⁷ I will gladly rejoice because of Your gracious love
    because You recognized the sadness of my affliction.
    You felt deep compassion when You saw the pains of my soul.
⁸ You did not hand me over to the enemy,
    but instead, You liberated me
    and made me secure in a good and spacious land.

⁹ Show me Your grace, Eternal One, for I am in a tight spot.
    My eyes are aching with grief;
    my body and soul are withering with miseries.
¹⁰ My life is devoured by sorrow,
    and my years are haunted with mourning.
My sin has sapped me of all my strength;
    my body withers under the weight of this suffering.

¹¹ To all my enemies I am an object of scorn.
    My neighbors especially are ashamed of me.
My friends are afraid to be seen with me.
    When I walk down the street, people go out of their way to avoid me.
¹² I am as good as dead to them. Forgotten!
    Like a shattered clay pot, I am easily discarded and gladly replaced.
¹³ For I hear their whispered plans;
    terror is everywhere!
They conspire together,
    planning, plotting, scheming to take my life.

¹⁴ But I pour my trust into You, Eternal One.
    I’m glad to say, “You are my God!”
¹⁵ I give the moments of my life over to You, Eternal One.
    Rescue me from those who hate me and who hound me with their threats.
¹⁶ Look toward me, and let Your face shine down upon Your servant.
    Because of Your gracious love, save me!
¹⁷ Spare me shame, O Eternal One,
    for I turn and call to You.
Instead, let those who hate me be shamed;
    let death’s silence claim them.
¹⁸ Seal their lying lips forever,
    for with pride and contempt boiling in their hearts,
    they speak boldly against the righteous and persecute those who poured their trust into You.

¹⁹ Your overflowing goodness
    You have kept for those who live in awe of You,
And You share Your goodness with those who make You their sanctuary.
²⁰ You hide them, You shelter them in Your presence,
    safe from the conspiracies of sinful men.
You keep them in Your tent,
    safe from the slander of accusing tongues.

²¹ Bless the Eternal!
    For He has revealed His gracious love to me
    when I was trapped like a city under siege.
²² I began to panic so I yelled out,
    “I’m cut off. You no longer see me!”
But You heard my cry for help that day
    when I called out to You.

²³ Love the Eternal, all of you, His faithful people!
    He protects those who are true to Him,
    but He pays back the proud in kind.
²⁴ Be strong, and live courageously,
    all of you who set your hope in the Eternal!