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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.

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

31 (A)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never (B)be [a]put to shame;
(C)In Your righteousness rescue me.
(D)Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be a (E)rock of [b]strength for me,
A [c]stronghold to save me.
For You are my rock and (F)my fortress;
For the (G)sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.
You will (H)pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my (I)strength.
(J)Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You have (K)redeemed me, Lord, (L)God of [d]truth.

I hate those who (M)devote themselves to worthless [e]idols,
But I (N)trust in the Lord.
I will (O)rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness,
Because You have (P)seen my misery;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
And You have not (Q)handed me over to the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

Be gracious to me, Lord, for (R)I am in distress;
My (S)eye is wasted away from grief, (T)my soul and my body too.
10 For my life is spent with (U)sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My (V)strength has failed because of my guilt,
And (W)my [f]body has wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a (X)disgrace,
Especially to my (Y)neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am (Z)forgotten like a dead person, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the [g](AA)slander of many,
(AB)Terror is on every side;
While they (AC)took counsel together against me,
They (AD)schemed to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, Lord,
I say, “(AE)You are my God.”
15 My (AF)times are in Your hand;
(AG)Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your (AH)face shine upon Your servant;
(AI)Save me in Your faithfulness.
17 Let me not be (AJ)put to shame, Lord, for I call upon You;
Let the (AK)wicked be put to shame, let them (AL)be silent in [h]Sheol.
18 Let the (AM)lying lips be speechless,
Which (AN)speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your (AO)goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have performed for those who (AP)take refuge in You,
(AQ)Before the sons of mankind!
20 You hide them in the (AR)secret place of Your presence from the (AS)conspiracies of mankind;
You keep them secretly in a [i]shelter from the (AT)strife of tongues.
21 (AU)Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown His (AV)marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged (AW)city.
22 As for me, (AX)I said in my alarm,
“I am (AY)cut off from Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You (AZ)heard the sound of my pleadings
When I called to You for help.

23 Love the Lord, all (BA)His godly ones!
The Lord (BB)watches over the faithful
But fully (BC)repays the one who acts arrogantly.
24 (BD)Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 31:1 Or ashamed;
  2. Psalm 31:2 Or refuge, protection
  3. Psalm 31:2 Lit house of a stronghold
  4. Psalm 31:5 Or faithfulness
  5. Psalm 31:6 Lit futilities
  6. Psalm 31:10 Or bones, substance
  7. Psalm 31:13 Lit whispering
  8. Psalm 31:17 I.e., the netherworld
  9. Psalm 31:20 Or pavilion