Psa 31 | HCSB | STEP | For the choir director . A Davidic psalm . Lord , I seek refuge in You; let me never be disgraced . Save me by Your righteousness .

Psalms 31

A Plea for Protection

1 For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

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 ^{▼▼Or You have redeemed, or You will redeem, or spirit. Redeem} me, Lord, God of truth. ^h

6 I ^{▼▼One Hb ms, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer read You} hate those who are devoted to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord. ^j
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 ^k
8 and have not handed me over to the enemy. ^l
You have set my feet in a spacious place. ^m

9 Be gracious to me, Lord,
because I am in distress; ⁿ
my eyes are worn out from angry sorrow –
my whole being ^{▼▼Lit my soul and my belly} as well. ^p
10 Indeed, my life is consumed with grief
and my years with groaning; ^q
my strength has failed
because of my sinfulness, ^{▼▼LXX, Syr, Sym read affliction}
and my bones waste away. ^s
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. ^t
12 I am forgotten: gone from memory
like a dead person – like broken pottery. ^u
13 I have heard the gossip of many;
terror is on every side. ^v
When they conspired against me,
they plotted to take my life. ^w

14 But I trust in You, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.” ^x
15 The course of my life is in Your power; ^y
deliver me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors. ^z
16 Show Your favor to Your servant;
save me by Your faithful love. ^aa
17 Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on You. ^ab
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be silent ^{▼▼LXX reads brought down
,} ^{▼▼Or them perish, or them wail} in ^{▼▼Sheol: A Hebrew word for either the grave or the realm of the dead}Sheol. ^af
18 Let lying lips be quieted; ^ag
they speak arrogantly against the righteous
with pride and contempt. ^ah

19 How great is Your goodness
that You have stored up for those who ^{▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}fear You
and accomplished in the sight of ^{▼▼everyone/ human race: Literally, sons of man or sons of Adam}everyone
for those who take refuge in You. ^ak
20 You hide them in the protection of Your presence;
You conceal them in a shelter ^{▼▼Lit canopy}
from the schemes of men,
from quarrelsome tongues. ^am
21 May the Lord be praised,
for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me
in a city under siege. ^{▼▼Or a fortified city
,} ^ao
22 In my alarm I had said,
“I am cut off from Your sight.” ^ap
But You heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to You for help. ^aq

23 Love the Lord, all His faithful ones. ^ar
The Lord protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant. ^as
24 Be strong ^{▼▼Lit Let your heart be strong} and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord. ^au