WEB

Psalms 31

A long prayer that swings between trust and collapse. It opens with refuge and a strong rock, then sinks into a body wasting with grief: eye, soul, and bones failing, the speaker treated like broken pottery and forgotten like a dead man by his neighbors. Verse 5 holds the line later quoted at the cross, "Into your hand I commend my spirit." But here it is a living plea for rescue, not a dying word, spoken by someone still surrounded by whispering enemies.

Parallel reading
English + Português (Portugal)
Psalms 31 (WEB)
  1. 1

    In you, LORD, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

  2. 2

    Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me.

  3. 3

    For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

  4. 4

    Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

  5. 5

    Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, LORD, God of truth.

  6. 6

    I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in the LORD.

  7. 7

    I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

  8. 8

    You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

  9. 9

    Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

  10. 10

    For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

  11. 11

    Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, a horror to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

  12. 12

    I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.

  13. 13

    For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.

  14. 14

    But I trust in you, LORD. I said, “You are my God.”

  15. 15

    My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

  16. 16

    Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.

  17. 17

    Let me not be disappointed, LORD, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.

  18. 18

    Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

  19. 19

    Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

  20. 20

    In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

  21. 21

    Praise be to the LORD, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.

  22. 22

    As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

  23. 23

    Oh love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

  24. 24

    Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.

Times held in a hand

The turning point is verse 15: "My times are in your hand." Against enemies who conspire and slander, the speaker hands over not just his spirit but his whole calendar, the timing of rescue included.

From there the tone climbs. He marvels at the goodness God has stored up for those who fear him (v.19), the shelter that hides them from the strife of tongues, and ends commanding all the faithful to be strong and take courage.

Context layers

Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.

Share a small range via:

/en/web/psalms/31/16-18

Or use the Passage link builder.

Keep reading in context