PSALM 31 [†]  o In you, O LORD, do I  p take refuge;

 q let me never be put to shame;

in your  r righteousness deliver me!

2 Incline your ear to me;

rescue me speedily!

Be  s a rock of  t refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

3[†] For you are my rock and my fortress;

and for your  u name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

4 you  v take me out of  w the net they have hidden for me,

for you are my  x refuge.

5[^][†]  y Into your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O LORD,  z faithful God.

6[†] I  a hate [1] those who pay  b regard to worthless  c idols,

but I trust in the LORD.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,

because you have seen my affliction;

you have  d known the distress of my soul,

8 and you have not  e delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

you have set my feet in  f a broad place.

9[†] Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am  g in distress;

 h my eye is wasted from grief;

my soul and my body also.

10[†] For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my iniquity,

and  i my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become  j a reproach,

especially to my  k neighbors,

and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street  l flee from me.

12 I have been  m forgotten like one who is dead;

I have become like  n a broken vessel.

13 For I  o hear the whispering of many—

terror on every side!—

 p as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

14[†] But I  q trust in you, O LORD;

I say, “You are my God.”

15 My  r times are in your hand;

 s rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

16  t Make your face shine on your servant;

save me in your steadfast love!

17 O LORD,  u let me not be put to shame,

for I call upon you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go  v silently to Sheol.

18 Let the lying lips be mute,

which  w speak  x insolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

19[†] Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you

and worked for those who take refuge in you,

 y in the sight of the children of mankind!

20 In  z the cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you  a store them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the LORD,

for he has wondrously  b shown his steadfast love to me

when I was in  c a besieged city.

22 I had said in my  d alarm, [2]

“I am  e cut off from  f your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the LORD, all you his  g saints!

The LORD preserves the faithful

but abundantly  h repays the one who acts in pride.

24  i Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the LORD!

A Maskil [1] of David.