Psalm 31 | New International Reader’s Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 LORD, I have come to you for safety. Don’t let me ever be put to shame. Save me, because you do what is right. 2 Pay attention to me. Come quickly to help me. Be the rock I go to for safety. Be the strong fort that saves me. 3 You are my rock and my fort. Lead me and guide me for the honour of your name. 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me. You are my place of safety. 5 Into your hands I commit my very life. LORD, set me free. You are my faithful God. 6 I hate those who worship worthless statues of gods. But I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and full of joy because you love me. You saw that I was hurting. You took note of my great pain. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy. You have put me in a wide and safe place. 9 LORD, have mercy on me. I’m in deep trouble. I’m so sad I can hardly see. My whole body grows weak with sadness. 10 Pain has taken over my life. My years are spent in groaning. I have no strength because I’m hurting so much. My body is getting weaker and weaker. 11 My neighbours make fun of me because I have so many enemies. My closest friends are afraid of me. People who see me on the street run away from me. 12 No one remembers me. I might as well be dead. I have become like broken pottery. 13 I hear many people whispering, ‘There is terror all around him!’ Many have joined together against me. They plan to kill me. 14 But I trust in you, LORD. I say, ‘You are my God.’ 15 My whole life is in your hands. Save me from the hands of my enemies. Save me from those who are chasing me. 16 May you look on me with favour. Save me because your love is faithful. 17 LORD, I have cried out to you. Don’t let me be put to shame. But let sinners be put to shame. Let them lie silent in the place of the dead. 18 Their lips tell lies. Let them be silenced. They speak with pride against those who do right. They make fun of them. 19 You have stored up so many good things. You have stored them up for those who have respect for you. You give those things while everyone watches. You give them to people who run to you for safety. 20 They are safe because you are with them. You hide them from the evil plans of their enemies. In your house you keep them safe from those who bring charges against them. 21 Give praise to the LORD. He showed me his wonderful love when my enemies attacked the city I was in. 22 I was afraid and said, ‘I’ve been cut off from you!’ But you heard my cry for your favour. You heard me when I called out to you for help. 23 Love the LORD, all you who are faithful to him! The LORD keeps safe those who are faithful to him. But he completely pays back those who are proud. 24 Be strong, all you who put your hope in the LORD. Never give up.

New International Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 In you, 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 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, 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 given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction,* and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbours and an object of dread to my closest friends – those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear many whispering, ‘Terror on every side!’ They conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, 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, Lord, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and be silent in the realm of the dead. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. 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 faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 31 | New International Reader’s Version New International Version

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

For the director of music. A psalm of David.