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.

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[c]

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.(BG)
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them(BH)
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.(BI)

When I kept silent,(BJ)
    my bones wasted away(BK)
    through my groaning(BL) all day long.
For day and night
    your hand was heavy(BM) on me;
my strength was sapped(BN)
    as in the heat of summer.[d]

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity.(BO)
I said, “I will confess(BP)
    my transgressions(BQ) to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.(BR)

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;(BS)
surely the rising(BT) of the mighty waters(BU)
    will not reach them.(BV)
You are my hiding place;(BW)
    you will protect me from trouble(BX)
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.(BY)

I will instruct(BZ) you and teach you(CA) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on(CB) you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
    which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle(CC)
    or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,(CD)
    but the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts(CE) in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord(CF) and be glad, you righteous;
    sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 33

Sing joyfully(CG) to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting(CH) for the upright(CI) to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;(CJ)
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.(CK)
Sing to him a new song;(CL)
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.(CM)

For the word of the Lord is right(CN) and true;(CO)
    he is faithful(CP) in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;(CQ)
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.(CR)

By the word(CS) of the Lord the heavens were made,(CT)
    their starry host(CU) by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters(CV) of the sea into jars[e];(CW)
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;(CX)
    let all the people of the world(CY) revere him.(CZ)
For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded,(DA) and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils(DB) the plans(DC) of the nations;(DD)
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm(DE) forever,
    the purposes(DF) of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,(DG)
    the people he chose(DH) for his inheritance.(DI)
13 From heaven the Lord looks down(DJ)
    and sees all mankind;(DK)
14 from his dwelling place(DL) he watches
    all who live on earth—
15 he who forms(DM) the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.(DN)

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;(DO)
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse(DP) is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes(DQ) of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,(DR)
19 to deliver them from death(DS)
    and keep them alive in famine.(DT)

20 We wait(DU) in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,(DV)
    for we trust in his holy name.(DW)
22 May your unfailing love(DX) be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 34[f][g]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane(DY) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

I will extol the Lord at all times;(DZ)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory(EA) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(EB)
Glorify the Lord(EC) with me;
    let us exalt(ED) his name together.

I sought the Lord,(EE) and he answered me;
    he delivered(EF) me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;(EG)
    their faces are never covered with shame.(EH)
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.(EI)
The angel of the Lord(EJ) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers(EK) them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;(EL)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge(EM) in him.
Fear the Lord,(EN) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.(EO)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(EP)
11 Come, my children, listen(EQ) to me;
    I will teach you(ER) the fear of the Lord.(ES)
12 Whoever of you loves life(ET)
    and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue(EU) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.(EV)
14 Turn from evil and do good;(EW)
    seek peace(EX) and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord(EY) are on the righteous,(EZ)
    and his ears are attentive(FA) to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against(FB) those who do evil,(FC)
    to blot out their name(FD) from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears(FE) them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close(FF) to the brokenhearted(FG)
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,(FH)
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;(FI)
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.(FJ)

21 Evil will slay the wicked;(FK)
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue(FL) his servants;
    no one who takes refuge(FM) in him will be condemned.

Psalm 35

Of David.

Contend,(FN) Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight(FO) against those who fight against me.
Take up shield(FP) and armor;
    arise(FQ) and come to my aid.(FR)
Brandish spear(FS) and javelin[h](FT)
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.(FU)

May those who seek my life(FV)
    be disgraced(FW) and put to shame;(FX)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back(FY) in dismay.
May they be like chaff(FZ) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord(GA) driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net(GB) for me without cause(GC)
    and without cause dug a pit(GD) for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—(GE)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,(GF) to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice(GG) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.(GH)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,(GI) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(GJ) for them,
    the poor and needy(GK) from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses(GL) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(GM)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(GN)
    and humbled myself with fasting.(GO)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14     I went about mourning(GP)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(GQ)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered(GR) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[i](GS)
    they gnashed their teeth(GT) at me.

17 How long,(GU) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life(GV) from these lions.(GW)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(GX)
    among the throngs(GY) I will praise you.(GZ)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies(HA) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(HB)
    maliciously wink the eye.(HC)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations(HD)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(HE) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(HF)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

22 Lord, you have seen(HG) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far(HH) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(HI) and rise(HJ) to my defense!
    Contend(HK) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat(HL) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(HM) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(HN)

26 May all who gloat(HO) over my distress(HP)
    be put to shame(HQ) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(HR)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(HS)
    shout for joy(HT) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights(HU) in the well-being of his servant.”(HV)

28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,(HW)
    your praises all day long.(HX)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 31:1 In Hebrew texts 31:1-24 is numbered 31:2-25.
  2. Psalm 31:10 Or guilt
  3. Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.
  5. Psalm 33:7 Or sea as into a heap
  6. Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  7. Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.
  8. Psalm 35:3 Or and block the way
  9. Psalm 35:16 Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers,

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