Psalms 31:11-21

11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a 1reproach, Especially to my 2neighbors, And an object of dread to my acquaintances; Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am 3forgotten as a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the 4slander of many, 5Terror is on every side; While they 6took counsel together against me, They 7schemed to take away my life.
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, "8You are my God."
15 My 9times are in Your hand; 10Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your 11face to shine upon Your servant; 12Save me in Your lovingkindness.
17 Let me not be 13put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; Let the 14wicked be put to shame, let them 15be silent in Sheol.
18 Let the 16lying lips be mute, Which 17speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt.
19 How great is Your 18goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who 19take refuge in You, 20Before the sons of men!
20 You hide them in the 21secret place of Your presence from the 22conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the 23strife of tongues.
21 24Blessed be the LORD, For He has made 25marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged 26city.

Psalms 31:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm, according to Arama, was composed by David when in Keilah; but, according to Kimchi and others, when the Ziphites proposed to deliver him up into the hands of Saul; and who, upon their solicitations, came down and surrounded him with his army, from whom in haste he made his escape, and to which he is thought to refer in Psalm 31:22. Theodoret supposes it was written by David when he fled from Absalom, and that it has some respect in it to his sin against Uriah, in that verse.

Cross References 26

  • 1. Psalms 69:19
  • 2. Job 19:13; Psalms 38:11; Psalms 88:8, 18
  • 3. Psalms 88:5
  • 4. Psalms 50:20; Jeremiah 20:10
  • 5. Lamentations 2:22
  • 6. Psalms 62:4; Matthew 27:1
  • 7. Psalms 41:7
  • 8. Psalms 140:6
  • 9. Job 14:5; Job 24:1
  • 10. Psalms 143:9
  • 11. Numbers 6:25; Psalms 4:6; Psalms 80:3
  • 12. Psalms 6:4
  • 13. Psalms 25:2, 20
  • 14. Psalms 25:3
  • 15. 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalms 94:17; Psalms 115:17
  • 16. Psalms 109:2; Psalms 120:2
  • 17. 1 Samuel 2:3; Psalms 94:4; Jude 15
  • 18. Psalms 65:4; Psalms 145:7; Isaiah 64:4; Romans 2:4; Romans 11:22
  • 19. Psalms 5:11
  • 20. Psalms 23:5
  • 21. Psalms 27:5
  • 22. Psalms 37:12
  • 23. Job 5:21; Psalms 31:13
  • 24. Psalms 28:6
  • 25. Psalms 17:7
  • 26. 1 Samuel 23:7; Psalms 87:5

Footnotes 3

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