A Plea for Protection
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
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
because of Your name.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 redeemg me, LORD, God of truth.h
6Ii 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 have known the troubles of my lifek
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 angry sorrow —
my whole beingo as well.p
10Indeed, my life is consumed with grief
and my years with groaning;q
my strength has failed
because of my sinfulness,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
deliver me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.z
16Show Your favor to Your servant;
save me by Your faithful love.aa
17LORD, do not let me be disgraced when I call on You.ab
Let the wicked be disgraced;
let them be silentac, ad in •Sheol.ae
18Let lying lips be quieted;af
they speak arrogantly against the righteous
with pride and contempt.ag
19How 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.ah
20You hide them in the protection of Your presence;
You conceal them in a shelterai
from the schemes of men,
from quarrelsome tongues.aj
21May the LORD be praised,
for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me
in a city under siege.ak, al
22In my alarm I had said,
“I am cut off from Your sight.”am
But You heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried to You for help.an
23Love the LORD, all His faithful ones.ao
The LORD protects the loyal,
but fully repays the arrogant.ap
24Be strongaq and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the LORD.ar
Footnotes:
a. 31:1 Ps 25:2
b. 31:2 Ps 71:1-2
c. 31:3 Ps 18:2; 71:3
d. 31:3 Ps 23:3; 25:11
e. 31:4 Ps 25:15; 46:1
f. 31:5 Lk 23:46
g. 31:5 Or You have redeemed, or You will redeem, or spirit. Redeem
h. 31:5 Ps 25:5
i. 31:6 One Hb ms, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer read You
j. 31:6 Ps 26:5; Jnh 2:8
k. 31:7 Ps 10:14
l. 31:8 Dt 32:30
m. 31:8 Jb 36:16
n. 31:9 Ps 69:17
o. 31:9 Lit my soul and my belly
p. 31:9 Ps 6:7; 63:1
q. 31:10 Ps 102:3
r. 31:10 LXX, Syr, Sym read affliction
s. 31:10 Ps 32:3; 38:3
t. 31:11 Jb 19:13; Ps 38:11; 88:8,18
u. 31:12 Ps 88:5; Ec 9:5
v. 31:13 Jr 20:10
w. 31:13 Ps 41:7; Mt 27:1
x. 31:14 Ps 140:6
y. 31:15 Jb 14:5; 24:1
z. 31:15 Ps 59:1
aa. 31:16 Ps 6:4; 119:135
ab. 31:17 Ps 25:2-3,20
ac. 31:17 LXX reads brought down
ad. 31:17 Or them perish, or them wail
ae. 31:17 Ps 94:17; 115:17
af. 31:18 Ps 120:2
ag. 31:18 1Sm 2:3; Ps 94:4
ah. 31:19 Ps 5:11; 23:5
ai. 31:20 Lit canopy
aj. 31:20 Ps 27:5; 32:7
ak. 31:21 Or a fortified city
al. 31:21 Ps 28:6
am. 31:22 Ps 88:5; Is 38:11-12
an. 31:22 Ps 66:19; 145:19
ao. 31:23 Ps 30:4
ap. 31:23 Ps 94:2
aq. 31:24 Lit Let your heart be strong
ar. 31:24 Ps 27:14
