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Psalm 31

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
    do not let me ever be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me.(A)
Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me.(B)

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
    for your name’s sake lead me and guide me;(C)
take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.(D)
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.(E)

You hate[a] those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.(F)
I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have taken notice of my adversities(G)
and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.(H)

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye wastes away from grief,
    my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,[b]
    and my bones waste away.(I)

11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
    a horror[c] to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.(J)
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.(K)
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.(L)

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”(M)
15 My times are in your hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.(N)
16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love.(O)
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord,
    for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.(P)
18 Let the lying lips be stilled
    that speak insolently against the righteous
    with pride and contempt.(Q)

19 O how abundant is your goodness
    that you have laid up for those who fear you
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of everyone!(R)
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
    from contentious tongues.(S)

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was beset as a city under siege.(T)
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am driven far[d] from your sight.”
But you heard my supplications
    when I cried out to you for help.(U)

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints.
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.(V)
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 31.6 Heb ms Gk Syr Jerome: MT I hate
  2. 31.10 Gk Syr: Heb my iniquity
  3. 31.11 Cn: Heb exceedingly
  4. 31.22 Heb mss: MT cut off

Psalm 31

For the music leader. A psalm of David.

31 I take refuge in you, Lord.
    Please never let me be put to shame.
        Rescue me by your righteousness!
Listen closely to me!
    Deliver me quickly;
        be a rock that protects me;
        be a strong fortress that saves me!
You are definitely my rock and my fortress.
    Guide me and lead me for the sake of your good name!
Get me out of this net that’s been set for me
    because you are my protective fortress.
I entrust my spirit into your hands;
    you, Lord, God of faithfulness—
    you have saved me.
I hate those who embrace what is completely worthless.
    I myself trust the Lord.
I rejoice and celebrate in your faithful love
    because you saw my suffering—
    you were intimately acquainted with my deep distress.
You didn’t hand me over to the enemy,
    but set my feet in wide-open spaces.

Have mercy on me, Lord, because I’m depressed.
    My vision fails because of my grief,
    as do my spirit and my body.
10 My life is consumed with sadness;
    my years are consumed with groaning.
Strength fails me because of my suffering;[a]
    my bones dry up.
11 I’m a joke to all my enemies,
    still worse to my neighbors.
    I scare my friends,
    and whoever sees me in the street runs away!
12 I am forgotten, like I’m dead,
    completely out of mind;
    I am like a piece of pottery, destroyed.
13 Yes, I’ve heard all the gossiping,
    terror all around;
    so many gang up together against me,
        they plan to take my life!

14 But me? I trust you, Lord!
    I affirm, “You are my God.”
15 My future is in your hands.
    Don’t hand me over to my enemies,
    to all who are out to get me!
16 Shine your face on your servant;
    save me by your faithful love!
17 Lord, don’t let me be put to shame
    because I have cried out to you.
Let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them be silenced in death’s domain![b]
18 Let their lying lips be shut up
    whenever they speak arrogantly
    against the righteous with pride and contempt!
19 How great is the goodness
    that you’ve reserved for those who honor you,
    that you commit to those who take refuge in you—
        in the sight of everyone!
20 You hide them in the shelter of your wings,[c]
    safe from human scheming.
    You conceal them in a shelter,
    safe from accusing tongues.

21 Bless the Lord,
    because he has wondrously revealed
    his faithful love to me
    when I was like a city under siege!
22 When I was panicked, I said,
    “I’m cut off from your eyes!”
But you heard my request for mercy
    when I cried out to you for help.

23 All you who are faithful, love the Lord!
    The Lord protects those who are loyal,
        but he pays the proud back to the fullest degree.
24 All you who wait for the Lord,
be strong and let your heart take courage.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 31:10 LXX, Syr; MT my sin
  2. Psalm 31:17 Heb Sheol
  3. Psalm 31:20 Correction; see Ps 61:5; MT in the hiding place of your face.