Psalm 31

International Children’s Bible

⁶ I hate those who worship false gods.
    I trust only in the Lord.
⁷ I will be glad because of your love.
    You saw my suffering.
    You knew my troubles.
⁸ You have not let my enemies defeat me.
    You have set me in a safe place.

⁹ Lord, have mercy. I am in misery.
    My eyes are weak from so much crying.
    My whole being is tired from grief.
¹⁰ My life is ending in sadness.
    My years are spent in crying.
My troubles are using up my strength.
    My bones are getting weaker.
¹¹ Because of all my troubles, my enemies hate me.
    Even my neighbors look down on me.
When my friends see me,
    they are afraid and run.
¹² I am like a piece of a broken pot.
    I am forgotten as if I were dead.
¹³ I have heard many insults.
    Terror is all around me.
They make plans against me.
    They want to kill me.

¹⁴ Lord, I trust you.
    I have said, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My life is in your hands.
    Save me from my enemies’ grasp.
    Save me from those who are chasing me.
¹⁶ Show your kindness to me, your servant.
    Save me because of your love.
¹⁷ Lord, I called to you.
    So do not let me be disgraced.
Let the wicked be disgraced.
    Let them lie silent in the grave.
¹⁸ With pride and hatred
    they speak against the righteous.
So shut their lying lips.

¹⁹ How great is your goodness!
    You have stored it up for those who fear you.
You do good things for those who trust you.
    You do this for all to see.
²⁰ You protect them by your presence
    from what people plan against them.
You keep them safe in your shelter
    from evil words.
²¹ Praise the Lord.
    His love to me was wonderful
    when my city was attacked.
²² In my distress, I said,
    “God cannot see me!”
But you heard my prayer
    when I cried out to you for help.
²³ Love the Lord, all you who belong to him.
    The Lord protects those who truly believe.
    But he punishes the proud as much as they have sinned.
²⁴ All you who put your hope in the Lord
    be strong and brave.