T2 W Y 1,2. Let me be not ashamed. "Your ear". Prayer
Z A 3,4. Reason. "For". [Thrice.] "
B W 5. "Into Your hand". "
x 6. "I trusted". "
X 7,8. Praise for benefits received.
W Z A 9-13. Reason. "For". [Thrice.] Prayer
B x 14. "I trusted". "
w 15. "In Your hand". "
Y 16-18. Let me be not ashamed. "Your face".
Psalm 31)
1 In You, O LORD (Yahaveh), have I fled for refuge to; let me never be ashamed:
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
2 Bow down Your ear to me; rescue me speedily:
Be You my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore for Your name's sake You will gently lead me, and gently guide me.
4 You will pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me:
For You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I will commit my spirit: (Quoted in Luke 23:46)
You have delivered me by power (see Ex. 13:15. Cp. Ex. 6:6), O LORD GOD (El) of truth.
6 I have hated (some codices read "You hated") them that regard idols: (See Jer. 8:19; 10:8. Cp. 2 Sam. 5:21. Jonah 2:8.)
But I have fixed my hope (or confidence in) the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving-kindness (or grace):
For You have looked upon my trouble;
You have known me myself in adversities;
8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy:
You have set my feet in a large room.
9 Show grace to me, O LORD, for I am in trouble:
My eye is consumed with grief, yes, my soul and my belly (put for "body").
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing:
My strength fails
Because of my iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a derision among all my enemies,
But especially among my neighbors (cp. 2 Sam. 6:16,20), and a fear to my acquaintance:
They that did see me without fled from me.
12 I became forgotten as a dead man out of mind:
I am like a broken (or missing) vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many:
Fear was on every side:
While they took counsel together against me,
They devised to take away my soul.
14 But I trusted in You, O LORD:
I said, You are my God.
15 My times (put for what is done in them = all my affairs) are in Your hand:
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant:
Save me in Your loving-kindness.
17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon You:
Let the lawless be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave (Sheol).
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence;
Which speak hard (or arrogant) things proudly and contemptuously against a righteous one.
19 Oh how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for them that fear You;
Which You have wrought for them that put their trust in You before the sons of men!
20 You shall hide them in the secret of your presence from the conspiracy of man:
You shall keep them secretly in a booth (or tent) from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD:
For He has showed me His marvelous loving-kindness (or grace) in a fortified city. (Which Zion was.)
22 For I said in my haste, "I am cut off from before Your eyes:"
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You.
23 O love the LORD, all you His favored (or graced) ones:
For the LORD preserves the faithful,
And plentifully rewards the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart,
All you that wait the LORD.