Psalms 31

¹The understanding of David himself. Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³Because I was silent, my bones grew old, while still I cried out all day long.

⁴For, day and night, your hand was heavy upon me. I have been converted in my anguish, while still the thorn is piercing.

⁵I have acknowledged my offense to you, and I have not concealed my injustice. I said, “I will confess against myself, my injustice to the Lord,” and you forgave the impiety of my sin.

⁶For this, everyone who is holy will pray to you in due time. Yet truly, in a flood of many waters, they will not draw near to him.

⁷You are my refuge from the tribulation that has surrounded me. You are my exultation: rescue me from those who are surrounding me.

⁸I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you in this way, in which you will walk. I will fix my eyes upon you.

⁹Do not become like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding. Their jaws are constrained with bit and bridle, so as not to draw near to you.

¹⁰Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy will surround him that hopes in the Lord.

¹¹Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you just ones, and glory, all you upright of heart.

Psalms 31

¹In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

²Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

³For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

⁴Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

⁵Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

⁶I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

⁷I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

⁸And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

⁹Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

¹⁰For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

¹¹I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

¹²I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

¹³For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

¹⁴But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

¹⁵My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

¹⁶Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.

¹⁷Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

¹⁹Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

²⁰Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

²¹Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

²²For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

²³O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

²⁴Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.