Psalms 31:13-24

31:13 For I hear what so many are saying, ¹ 

the terrifying news that comes from every direction. ² 

When they plot together against me,

they figure out how they can take my life.

31:14 But I trust in you, O Lord!

I declare, “You are my God!”

31:15 You determine my destiny! ³ 

Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.

31:16 Smile ⁴  on your servant!

Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

31:17 O Lord, do not let me be humiliated,

for I call out to you!

May evil men be humiliated!

May they go wailing to the grave! ⁵ 

31:18 May lying lips be silenced –

lips ⁶  that speak defiantly against the innocent ⁷ 

with arrogance and contempt!

31:19 How great is your favor, ⁸ 

which you store up for your loyal followers! ⁹ 

In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter ¹⁰  in you. ¹¹ 

31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks ¹²  of men; ¹³ 

you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. ¹⁴ 

31:21 The Lord deserves praise ¹⁵ 

for he demonstrated his amazing faithfulness to me when I was besieged by enemies. ¹⁶ 

31:22 I jumped to conclusions and said, ¹⁷ 

“I am cut off from your presence!” ¹⁸ 

But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help.

31:23 Love the Lord, all you faithful followers ¹⁹  of his!

The Lord protects those who have integrity,

but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. ²⁰ 

31:24 Be strong and confident, ²¹ 

all you who wait on the Lord!

[31:13]  ¹ tn Heb “the report of many.”

[31:13]  ² tn Heb “the terror from all around.”

[31:15]  ³ tn Heb “in your hand [are] my times.”

[31:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “cause your face to shine.”

[31:17]  ⁵ tn The verb יִדְּמוּ (yiddÿmu) is understood as a form of דָּמַם (damam, “wail, lament”). Another option is to take the verb from דָּמַם (“be quiet”; see BDB 198-99 s.v. I דָּמַם), in which case one might translate, “May they lie silent in the grave.”

[31:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “the [ones which].”

[31:18]  ⁷ tn Or “godly.”

[31:19]  ⁸ tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”

[31:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “for those who fear you.”

[31:19]  ¹⁰ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 34:21-22).

[31:19]  ¹¹ tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”

[31:20]  ¹² tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”

[31:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.

[31:20]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”

[31:21]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”

[31:21]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “for he caused his faithfulness to be amazing to me in a besieged city.” The psalmist probably speaks figuratively here. He compares his crisis to being trapped in a besieged city, but the Lord answered his prayer for help. Verses 19-24 were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18.

[31:22]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and I, I said in my haste.”

[31:22]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “from before your eyes.”

[31:23]  ¹⁹ tn A “faithful follower” (חָסִיד, khasid) is one who does what is right in God’s eyes and remains faithful to God (see Pss 4:3; 12:1; 16:10; 31:23; 37:28; 86:2; 97:10).

[31:23]  ²⁰ tn The participial forms in the second and third lines characterize the Lord as one who typically protects the faithful and judges the proud.

[31:24]  ²¹ tn Heb “be strong and let your heart[s] be confident.”