Psalms 31-34

1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; save me by Your righteousness.

2Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance.

3For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.

4You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.

5Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.

6I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.

7I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul.

8You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.

9Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well.

10For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

11Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends— they flee when they see me on the street.

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

13For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

14But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

15My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

16Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion.

17O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.

18May lying lips be silenced— lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.

19How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!

20You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men. You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.

21Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His loving devotion in a city under siege.

22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from Your sight!” But You heard my plea for mercy when I called to You for help.

23Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.

24Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.

1Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

2Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.

4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah

5Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

6Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.

7You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.

9Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.

10Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.

11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

1Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.

2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.

3Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.

4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is trustworthy.

5The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His loving devotion.

6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.

7He piles up the waters of the sea; He puts the depths into storehouses.

8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him.

9For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.

10The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.

11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!

13The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.

14From His dwelling place He gazes on all who inhabit the earth.

15He shapes the hearts of each; He considers all their works.

16No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

17A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.

18Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion

19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

21For our hearts rejoice in Him, since we trust in His holy name.

22May Your loving devotion rest on us, O LORD, as we put our hope in You.

1I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

2My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

3Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.

4I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

5Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.

7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.

8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.

10Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?

13Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.

14Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.

16But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.

17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.

18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.

20He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.

21Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

22The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.