Psalm 31
A Plea for Protection
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
Save me by Your righteousness.
2 Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.(B)
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;(C)
You lead and guide me
because of Your name.(D)
4 You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for You are my refuge.(E)
5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;(F)
You redeem[a] me, Lord, God of truth.(G)
6 I[b] hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.(H)
7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithful love
because You have seen my affliction.
You have known the troubles of my life(I)
8 and have not handed me over to the enemy.(J)
You have set my feet in a spacious place.(K)
9 Be gracious to me, Lord,
because I am in distress;(L)
my eyes are worn out from angry sorrow—
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 sinfulness,[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)
deliver me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.(V)
16 Show Your favor to Your servant;
save me by Your faithful love.(W)
17 Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on You.(X)
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be silent[e][f] in Sheol.(Y)
18 Let lying lips be quieted;(Z)
they speak arrogantly against the righteous
with pride and contempt.(AA)
19 How great is Your goodness
that You have stored up for those who fear You
and accomplished in the sight of everyone
for those who take refuge in You.(AB)
20 You hide them in the protection of Your presence;
You conceal them in a shelter[g]
from the schemes of men,
from quarrelsome tongues.(AC)
21 May the Lord be praised,
for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me
in a city under siege.[h](AD)
22 In my alarm I had said,
“I am cut off from Your sight.”(AE)
But You heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to You for help.(AF)
23 Love the Lord, all His faithful ones.(AG)
The Lord protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant.(AH)
24 Be strong[i] and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord.(AI)
Footnotes
- Psalm 31:5 Or You have redeemed, or You will redeem, or spirit. Redeem
- Psalm 31:6 One Hb ms, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer read You
- Psalm 31:9 Lit my soul and my belly
- Psalm 31:10 LXX, Syr, Sym read affliction
- Psalm 31:17 LXX reads brought down
- Psalm 31:17 Or them perish, or them wail
- Psalm 31:20 Lit canopy
- Psalm 31:21 Or a fortified city
- Psalm 31:24 Lit Let your heart be strong
Cross references
- 31:1 : Ps 25:2
- 31:2 : Ps 71:1-2
- 31:3 : Ps 18:2; 71:3
- 31:3 : Ps 23:3; 25:11
- 31:4 : Ps 25:15; 46:1
- 31:5 : Lk 23:46
- 31:5 : Ps 25:5
- 31:6 : Ps 26:5; Jnh 2:8
- 31:7 : Ps 10:14
- 31:8 : Dt 32:30
- 31:8 : Jb 36:16
- 31:9 : Ps 69:17
- 31:9 : Ps 6:7; 63:1
- 31:10 : Ps 102:3
- 31:10 : Ps 32:3; 38:3
- 31:11 : Jb 19:13; Ps 38:11; 88:8, 18
- 31:12 : Ps 88:5; Ec 9:5
- 31:13 : Jr 20:10
- 31:13 : Ps 41:7; Mt 27:1
- 31:14 : Ps 140:6
- 31:15 : Jb 14:5; 24:1
- 31:15 : Ps 59:1
- 31:16 : Ps 6:4; 119:135
- 31:17 : Ps 25:2-3, 20
- 31:17 : Ps 94:17; 115:17
- 31:18 : Ps 120:2
- 31:18 : 1Sm 2:3; Ps 94:4
- 31:19 : Ps 5:11; 23:5
- 31:20 : Ps 27:5; 32:7
- 31:21 : Ps 28:6
- 31:22 : Ps 88:5; Is 38:11-12
- 31:22 : Ps 66:19; 145:19
- 31:23 : Ps 30:4
- 31:23 : Ps 94:2
- 31:24 : Ps 27:14