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!
• ² Listen closely to me!
• Deliver me quickly;
• be a rock that protects me;
• be a strong fortress that saves me!
• ³ You are definitely my rock and my fortress.
• Guide me and lead me for the sake of your good name!
• ⁴ Get me out of this net that’s been set for me
• because you are my protective fortress.
• ⁵ I entrust my spirit into your hands;
• you, LORD , God of faithfulness—
• you have saved me.
• ⁶ I hate those who embrace what is completely worthless.
• I myself trust the LORD .
• ⁷ I rejoice and celebrate in your faithful love
• because you saw my suffering—
• you were intimately acquainted with my deep distress.
• ⁸ You didn’t hand me over to the enemy,
• but set my feet in wide-open spaces.

• ⁹ 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;^b
• 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!^c
• 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,^d
• 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.