*Psalms 31

₁Lord, please come and protect me,

and do not let me become ashamed.

You are a righteous God,

and I pray that You will save me.

₂Please listen to me and save me quickly.

Be a Rock for me,

a place to which I can flee and feel safe,

where You will protect me.

₃Yes, You are my Rock.

You protect me because I belong to You.

You stay with me and lead me.

₄My enemies caught me in a trap,

but You have saved me and

taken me out because You protect me.

₅I give my spirit and my life

to You, O Lord.

You are my faithful God.

Please help me and save me.

₆I hate people who worship_idols,

idols that are worthless.

I believe in the Lord.

₇I will rejoice and be happy

because You will always love me.

Yes, You have seen my trouble,

and You know that I am suffering.

₈You have not let my enemies defeat me.

You have set me free in a safe place.

₉Lord, please be gracious to me

and help me. I am suffering.

My eyes are weak

from crying a lot,

and I am so sad that I feel sick.

₁₀All my life I have had pain.

I moaned and sighed

and became weak

because of all my troubles.

My bones are getting weaker

and I have no more power.

₁₁My enemies hate me and

my neighbours laugh at me.

When my friends see me,

they become afraid of me

and run away.

₁₂I have become like someone

who has died.

I am like a broken pot,

and people have forgotten me.

₁₃People talk behind their hands

and say bad things about me.

They say: ‘We must attack him.’

They make plans against me,

and they want to kill me.

₁₄But I trust in You, Lord.

I say: ‘You are my God.’

₁₅My life is in your hands,

and it is You who decide

what will happen to me.

Please save me from my enemies,

the people who are chasing me.

₁₆Please stay near me

and show me your love.

I am your servant.

Save me because You are a faithful God.

₁₇Lord, please do not let me

become ashamed because of

what my enemies do to me.

I pray that You will let them be defeated,

these people who do wrong.

Cause them to die and go to the underworld.

₁₈They tell lies,

they are proud and they boast

and say bad things about people

who are righteous.

Please close their mouths and stop them.

₁₉Lord, You have always been

very good to people

who love and fear You.

You have always helped and

protected people who trust in You.

Everyone can see

that You are with your people.

₂₀When people make plans

against your children,

You hide them with your hands.

When they say bad things about

your people and accuse them,

You keep them safe

in your shelter and protect them.

₂₁I praise You, Lord.

You did a miracle

when people attacked me

and held me in my city.

₂₂I was so afraid that I said:

‘My God can not see me.’

But when I prayed to You

and asked You for help,

You heard my prayer.

You listened to me when I begged You.

₂₃You must love the Lord,

all of you who believe in Him.

The Lord protects those

who believe that He will help them,

but He punishes those

who are proud and boast.

₂₄You must be strong and brave,

all of you who believe

that the Lord will help you.