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For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

31 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge.
    Let me never be disappointed.
    Deliver me in your righteousness.
Bow down your ear to me.
    Deliver me speedily.
Be to me a strong rock,
    a house of defense to save me.
For you are my rock and my fortress,
    therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me,
    for you are my stronghold.
Into your hand I commend my spirit.
    You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.
I hate those who regard lying vanities,
    but I trust in Yahweh.
I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness,
    for you have seen my affliction.
    You have known my soul in adversities.
You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy.
    You have set my feet in a large place.
Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress.
    My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    my years with sighing.
My strength fails because of my iniquity.
    My bones are wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors,
    a horror to my acquaintances.
    Those who saw me on the street fled from me.
12 I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man.
    I am like broken pottery.
13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side,
    while they conspire together against me,
    they plot to take away my life.
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh.
    I said, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand.
    Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine on your servant.
    Save me in your loving kindness.
17 Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you.
    Let the wicked be disappointed.
    Let them be silent in Sheol.[a]
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
    which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.
19 Oh how great is your goodness,
    which you have laid up for those who fear you,
    which you have worked for those who take refuge in you,
    before the sons of men!
20 In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man.
    You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.
21 Praise be to Yahweh,
    for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.
22 As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.”
    Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.
23 Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints!
    Yahweh preserves the faithful,
and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who hope in Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. 31:17 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Psalm 31

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

Lord, I seek refuge in you;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
Save me by your righteousness.
Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.(B)
For you are my rock and my fortress;(C)
you lead and guide me
for your name’s sake.(D)
You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for you are my refuge.(E)
Into your hand I entrust my spirit;(F)
you have redeemed me,[a] Lord, God of truth.(G)

I[b] hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.(H)
I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love
because you have seen my affliction.
You know the troubles of my soul(I)
and have not handed me over to the enemy.(J)
You have set my feet in a spacious place.(K)

Be gracious to me, Lord,
because I am in distress;(L)
my eyes are worn out from frustration—
my whole being[c] as well.(M)
10 Indeed, my life is consumed with grief
and my years with groaning;(N)
my strength has failed
because of my iniquity,[d]
and my bones waste away.(O)
11 I am ridiculed by all my adversaries
and even by my neighbors.
I am dreaded by my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street run from me.(P)
12 I am forgotten: gone from memory
like a dead person—like broken pottery.(Q)
13 I have heard the gossip of many;
terror is on every side.(R)
When they conspired against me,
they plotted to take my life.(S)

14 But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”(T)
15 The course of my life is in your power;(U)
rescue me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.(V)
16 Make your face shine on your servant;(W)
save me by your faithful love.(X)
17 Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you.(Y)
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be quiet[e][f] in Sheol.(Z)
18 Let lying lips(AA)
that arrogantly speak against the righteous
in proud contempt be silenced.(AB)

19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you.
In the presence of everyone[g] you have acted
for those who take refuge in you.(AC)
20 You hide them in the protection of your presence;(AD)
you conceal them in a shelter
from human schemes,
from quarrelsome tongues.(AE)
21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me
in a city under siege.(AF)
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight.”(AG)
But you heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to you for help.(AH)

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful ones.(AI)
The Lord protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant.(AJ)
24 Be strong, and let your heart be courageous,(AK)
all you who put your hope in the Lord.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. 31:5 Or spirit. Redeem me
  2. 31:6 One Hb ms, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer read You
  3. 31:9 Lit my soul and my belly
  4. 31:10 LXX, Syr, Sym read affliction
  5. 31:17 LXX reads brought down
  6. 31:17 Or them wail
  7. 31:19 Or of the descendants of Adam