Psalm 31-32

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer for Protection

¹I come to you, Lord,
for protection.
    Don't let me be ashamed.
Do as you have promised
    and rescue me.
²Listen to my prayer
    and hurry to save me.
Be my mighty rock^[a]
and the fortress
    where I am safe.

³You, Lord God,
are my mighty rock
    and my fortress.
Lead me and guide me,
so that your name
    will be honored.
⁴Protect me from hidden traps
    and keep me safe.
⁵^(A) You are faithful,
and I trust you
    because you rescued me.

⁶I hate the worshipers
of worthless idols,
    but I trust you, Lord.
⁷I celebrate and shout
    because you are kind.
You saw all my suffering,
    and you cared for me.
⁸You kept me from the hands
of my enemies,
    and you set me free.

⁹Have pity, Lord!
I am hurting and almost blind.
    My whole body aches.
¹⁰I have known only sorrow
all my life long, and I suffer
    year after year.
I am weak from sin,
    and my bones are limp.

¹¹My enemies insult me.
Neighbors are even worse,
    and I disgust my friends.
People meet me on the street,
    and they turn and run.
¹²I am completely forgotten
like someone dead.
    I am merely a broken dish.
¹³I hear the crowds whisper,
    “Everyone is afraid!”
They are plotting and scheming
    to murder me.

¹⁴But I trust you, Lord,
    and I claim you as my God.
¹⁵My life is in your hands.
Save me from enemies
    who hunt me down.
¹⁶Smile on me, your servant.
    Have pity and rescue me.

¹⁷I pray only to you.
    Don't disappoint me.
Disappoint my cruel enemies
until they lie silent
    in their graves.
¹⁸Silence those proud liars!
Make them stop bragging
    and insulting your people.

¹⁹You are wonderful,
    and while everyone watches,
you store up blessings for all
    who honor and trust you.
²⁰You are their shelter
    from harmful plots,
and you are their protection
    from vicious gossip.

²¹I will praise you, Lord,
    for showing great kindness
when I was like a city
    under attack.
²²I was terrified and thought,
“They've chased me
    far away from you!”
But you answered my prayer
    when I shouted for help.

²³^(B) All who belong to the Lord,
    show how you love him.
The Lord protects the faithful,
but he severely punishes
    everyone who is proud.
²⁴All who trust the Lord,
    be cheerful and strong.

(A special psalm by David.)

The Joy of Forgiveness

¹^(C) Our Lord, you bless everyone
whose sins you forgive
    and wipe away.
²You bless them by saying,
    “You told me your sins,
without trying to hide them,
    and now I forgive you.”

³Before I confessed my sins,
my bones felt limp,
    and I groaned all day long.
⁴Night and day your hand
    weighed heavily on me,
and my strength was gone
    as in the summer heat.

⁵So I confessed my sins
    and told them all to you.
I said, “I'll tell the Lord
    each one of my sins.”
Then you forgave me
    and took away my guilt.

⁶We worship you, Lord,
    and we should always pray
whenever we find out
    that we have sinned.^[b]
Then we won't be swept away
    by a raging flood.
⁷You are my hiding place!
    You protect me from trouble,
and you put songs in my heart
    because you have saved me.

⁸You said to me,
“I will point out the road
    that you should follow.
I will be your teacher
    and watch over you.
⁹Don't be stupid
    like horses and mules
that must be led with ropes
    to make them obey.”

¹⁰All kinds of troubles
    will strike the wicked,
but your kindness shields those
    who trust you, Lord.
¹¹And so your good people
    should celebrate and shout.