Psalm 31

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-8) 126 St Stephen, 84 Manchester

(vv.9-13) 96 Orphan’s, 133 Spohr

(vv.14-20) 140 Torwood, 38 Caithness

(vv.21-24) 117 St Lawrence, 113 St Fulbert

1    In thee, O Lord, I put my trust,

            sham’d let me never be;

      According to thy righteousness

            do thou deliver me.

2    Bow down thine ear to me, with speed

            send me deliverance:

      To save me, my strong rock be thou,

            and my house of defence.

3    Because thou art my rock, and thee

            I for my fortress take;

      Therefore do thou me lead and guide,

            ev’n for thine own name’s sake.

4    And sith thou art my strength, therefore

            pull me out of the net,

      Which they in subtilty for me

            so privily have set.

5    Into thine hands I do commit

            my sp’rit: for thou art he,

      O thou, JEHOVAH, God of truth,

            that hast redeemed me.

6    Those that do lying vanities

            regard, I have abhorr’d:

      But as for me, my confidence

            is fixed on the Lord.

7    I’ll in thy mercy gladly joy:

            for thou my miseries

      Consider’d hast; thou hast my soul

            known in adversities:

8    And thou hast not inclosed me

            within the en’my’s hand;

      And by thee have my feet been made

            in a large room to stand.

9    O Lord, upon me mercy have,

            for trouble is on me:

      Mine eye, my belly, and my soul,

            with grief consumed be.

10  Because my life with grief is spent,

            my years with sighs and groans:

      My strength doth fail; and for my sin

            consumed are my bones.

11  I was a scorn to all my foes,

            and to my friends a fear;

      And specially reproach’d of those

            that were my neighbours near:

      When they me saw they from me fled.

12        Ev’n so I am forgot,

      As men are out of mind when dead:

            I’m like a broken pot.

13  For slanders I of many heard;

            fear compass’d me, while they

      Against me did consult, and plot

            to take my life away.

14  But as for me, O Lord, my trust

            upon thee I did lay;

      And I to thee, Thou art my God,

            did confidently say.

15  My times are wholly in thine hand:

            do thou deliver me

      From their hands that mine enemies

            and persecutors be.

16  Thy countenance to shine do thou

            upon thy servant make:

      Unto me give salvation,

            for thy great mercies’ sake.

17  Let me not be asham’d, O Lord,

            for on thee call’d I have:

      Let wicked men be sham’d, let them

            be silent in the grave.

18  To silence put the lying lips,

            that grievous things do say,

      And hard reports, in pride and scorn,

            on righteous men do lay.

19  How great’s the goodness thou for them

            that fear thee keep’st in store,

      And wrought’st for them that trust in thee

            the sons of men before!

20  In secret of thy presence thou

            shalt hide them from man’s pride:

      From strife of tongues thou closely shalt,

            as in a tent, them hide.

21  All praise and thanks be to the Lord;

            for he hath magnify’d

      His wondrous love to me within

            a city fortify’d.

22  For from thine eyes cut off I am,

            I in my haste had said;

      My voice yet heard’st thou, when to thee

            with cries my moan I made.

23  O love the Lord, all ye his saints;

            because the Lord doth guard

      The faithful, and he plenteously

            proud doers doth reward.

24  Be of good courage, and he strength

            unto your heart shall send,

      All ye whose hope and confidence

            doth on the Lord depend.