31 Lord, I trust in you alone. Don’t let my enemies defeat me. Rescue me because you are the God who always does what is right. ² Answer quickly when I cry to you; bend low and hear my whispered plea.^[a] Be for me a great Rock of safety from my foes. ³ Yes, you are my Rock and my fortress; honor your name by leading me out of this peril. ⁴ Pull me from the trap my enemies have set for me. For you alone are strong enough.^{[b] 5-6} Into your hand I commit my spirit.

You have rescued me, O God who keeps his promises. I worship only you; how you hate all those who worship idols, those imitation gods. ⁷ I am radiant with joy because of your mercy, for you have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis in my soul. ⁸ You have not handed me over to my enemy but have given me open ground in which to maneuver.

^9-10 O Lord, have mercy on me in my anguish. My eyes are red from weeping; my health is broken from sorrow. I am pining away with grief; my years are shortened, drained away because of sadness. My sins have sapped my strength; I stoop with sorrow and with shame.^{[c] 11} I am scorned by all my enemies and even more by my neighbors and friends. They dread meeting me and look the other way when I go by. ¹² I am forgotten like a dead man, like a broken and discarded pot. ¹³ I heard the lies about me, the slanders of my enemies. Everywhere I looked I was afraid, for they were plotting against my life.

^14-15 But I am trusting you, O Lord. I said, “You alone are my God; my times are in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. ¹⁶ Let your favor shine again upon your servant; save me just because you are so kind! ¹⁷ Don’t disgrace me, Lord, by not replying when I call to you for aid. But let the wicked be shamed by what they trust in; let them lie silently in their graves, ¹⁸ their lying lips quieted at last—the lips of these arrogant men who are accusing honest men of evil deeds.”

¹⁹ Oh, how great is your goodness to those who publicly declare that you will rescue them. For you have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence you.

²⁰ Hide your loved ones in the shelter of your presence, safe beneath your hand, safe from all conspiring men. ²¹ Blessed is the Lord, for he has shown me that his never-failing love protects me like the walls of a fort! ²² I spoke too hastily when I said, “The Lord has deserted me,” for you listened to my plea and answered me.

²³ Oh, love the Lord, all of you who are his people; for the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but harshly punishes all who haughtily reject him. ²⁴ So cheer up! Take courage if you are depending on the Lord.