Psalm 31

A Plea for Protection

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

¹Lord, I seek refuge in you;

let me never be disgraced. ^a

Save me by your righteousness.

²Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a mountain fortress to save me. ^b

³For you are my rock and my fortress; ^c

you lead and guide me

for your name’s sake. ^d

⁴You will free me from the net

that is secretly set for me,

for you are my refuge. ^e

⁵Into your hand I entrust my spirit; ^f

you have redeemed me, ^g Lord, God of truth. ^h

⁶I ⁱ hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,

but I trust in the Lord. ^j

⁷I will rejoice and be glad in your faithful love

because you have seen my affliction.

You know the troubles of my soul ^k

⁸and have not handed me over to the enemy. ^l

You have set my feet in a spacious place. ^m

⁹Be gracious to me, Lord,

because I am in distress; ⁿ

my eyes are worn out from frustration —

my whole being ^o as well. ^p

¹⁰Indeed, my life is consumed with grief

and my years with groaning; ^q

my strength has failed

because of my iniquity, ^r

and my bones waste away. ^s

¹¹I 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. ^t

¹²I am forgotten: gone from memory

like a dead person #— #like broken pottery. ^u

¹³I have heard the gossip of many;

terror is on every side. ^v

When they conspired against me,

they plotted to take my life. ^w

¹⁴But I trust in you, Lord;

I say, “You are my God.” ^x

¹⁵The course of my life is in your power; ^y

rescue me from the power of my enemies

and from my persecutors. ^z

¹⁶Make your face shine on your servant; ^aa

save me by your faithful love. ^ab

¹⁷Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you. ^ac

Let the wicked be disgraced;

let them be quiet ^ad,^ae in Sheol. ^af

¹⁸Let lying lips ^ag

that arrogantly speak against the righteous

in proud contempt be silenced. ^ah

¹⁹How great is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you.

In the presence of everyone ^ai you have acted

for those who take refuge in you. ^aj

²⁰You hide them in the protection of your presence; ^ak

you conceal them in a shelter

from human schemes,

from quarrelsome tongues. ^al

²¹Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously shown his faithful love to me

in a city under siege. ^am

²²In my alarm I said,

“I am cut off from your sight.” ^an

But you heard the sound of my pleading

when I cried to you for help. ^ao

²³Love the Lord, all his faithful ones. ^ap

The Lord protects the loyal,

but fully repays the arrogant. ^aq

²⁴Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, ^ar

all you who put your hope in the Lord. ^as