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A Prayer of Faith in Troubled Times

For the director of music. A song of David.

31 Lord, I trust in you.
    Let me never be disgraced.
    Save me because you do what is right.
Listen to me.
    Save me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a strong city to save me.
You are my rock and my protection.
    For the good of your name, lead me and guide me.
Set me free from the trap they set for me.
    You are my protection.
I give you my life.
    Save me, Lord, God of truth.

I hate those who worship false gods.
    I trust only in the Lord.
I will be glad because of your love.
    You saw my suffering.
    You knew my troubles.
You have not let my enemies defeat me.
    You have set me in a safe place.

Lord, have mercy. I am in misery.
    My eyes are weak from so much crying.
    My whole being is tired from grief.
10 My life is ending in sadness.
    My years are spent in crying.
My troubles are using up my strength.
    My bones are getting weaker.
11 Because of all my troubles, my enemies hate me.
    Even my neighbors look down on me.
When my friends see me,
    they are afraid and run.
12 I am like a piece of a broken pot.
    I am forgotten as if I were dead.
13 I have heard many insults.
    Terror is all around me.
They make plans against me.
    They want to kill me.

14 Lord, I trust you.
    I have said, “You are my God.”
15 My life is in your hands.
    Save me from my enemies’ grasp.
    Save me from those who are chasing me.
16 Show your kindness to me, your servant.
    Save me because of your love.
17 Lord, I called to you.
    So do not let me be disgraced.
Let the wicked be disgraced.
    Let them lie silent in the grave.
18 With pride and hatred
    they speak against the righteous.
So shut their lying lips.

19 How great is your goodness!
    You have stored it up for those who fear you.
You do good things for those who trust you.
    You do this for all to see.
20 You protect them by your presence
    from what people plan against them.
You keep them safe in your shelter
    from evil words.
21 Praise the Lord.
    His love to me was wonderful
    when my city was attacked.
22 In my distress, I said,
    “God cannot see me!”
But you heard my prayer
    when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you who belong to him.
    The Lord protects those who truly believe.
    But he punishes the proud as much as they have sinned.
24 All you who put your hope in the Lord
    be strong and brave.

Psalm 31[a](A)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.(C)
Turn your ear to me,(D)
    come quickly to my rescue;(E)
be my rock of refuge,(F)
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,(G)
    for the sake of your name(H) lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap(I) that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.(J)
Into your hands I commit my spirit;(K)
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.(L)

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;(M)
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.(N)
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction(O)
    and knew the anguish(P) of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands(Q) of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.(R)

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;(S)
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,(T)
    my soul and body(U) with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish(V)
    and my years by groaning;(W)
my strength fails(X) because of my affliction,[b](Y)
    and my bones grow weak.(Z)
11 Because of all my enemies,(AA)
    I am the utter contempt(AB) of my neighbors(AC)
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;(AD)
    I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,(AE)
    “Terror on every side!”(AF)
They conspire against me(AG)
    and plot to take my life.(AH)

14 But I trust(AI) in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times(AJ) are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine(AK) on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.(AL)
17 Let me not be put to shame,(AM) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent(AN) in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips(AO) be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly(AP) against the righteous.

19 How abundant are the good things(AQ)
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,(AR)
    on those who take refuge(AS) in you.
20 In the shelter(AT) of your presence you hide(AU) them
    from all human intrigues;(AV)
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the Lord,(AW)
    for he showed me the wonders of his love(AX)
    when I was in a city under siege.(AY)
22 In my alarm(AZ) I said,
    “I am cut off(BA) from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry(BB) for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!(BC)
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,(BD)
    but the proud he pays back(BE) in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,(BF)
    all you who hope in the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 31:1 In Hebrew texts 31:1-24 is numbered 31:2-25.
  2. Psalm 31:10 Or guilt