Side by side
Psalm 31
Our plain-language guide next to the Bible text. Each row lines up one section with the verses it explains.
Section 1: My Rock and My FortressVerses 1 to 8
"In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame" (31:1).
"Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance" (31:2).
"For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name" (31:3).
"Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth" (31:5).
To commit is to hand something over for safekeeping.
God has seen his suffering and set his feet in open space.
1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. In 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.
Section 2: Like a Broken VesselVerses 9 to 13
"Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress" (31:9).
His life is worn out with grief and groaning.
Even his friends avoid him in the street.
"I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel" (31:12).
A vessel is a clay jar. A broken one gets thrown away.
People whisper and plot against him. "There is terror on every side" (31:13).
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.
Section 3: My Times Are in Your HandsVerses 14 to 18
"But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."" (31:14).
"My times are in Your hands" (31:15).
His whole life, past, present, and future, is held by God.
"Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion" (31:16).
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.
Section 4: Be StrongVerses 19 to 24
"How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You" (31:19).
God showed his love to him in a city under attack.
He had thought, "I am cut off from your sight!" But God heard him.
"Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD" (31:24).
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.
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