PSALMS
CHAPTER 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ In you, O LORD , I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
² Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
⁴ Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
⁵ Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD , the God of truth.

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the LORD .
⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
⁸ You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

⁹ Be merciful to me, O LORD , for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction, ^[1]
and my bones grow weak.
¹¹ Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends-
those who see me on the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD ;
I say, "You are my God."
¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
¹⁶ Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame, O LORD ,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave. ^[2]
18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

¹⁹ How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.
²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the LORD ,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
²² In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the LORD , all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD .

Footnotes

1. 31:10 Or guilt
2. 31:17 Hebrew Sheol

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Bible text from Gospelcom.net.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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