Focused Passage

Psalms 31:9-18

Entrusting Life to the LORD in Distress

refuge and deliverance plea -> self-entrustment to the faithful God -> grief and social reproach -> renewed trust in God's hand -> prayer for vindication -> praise for abundant goodness -> exhortation to love and hope in the LORD

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well.

10 For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

11 Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends—they flee when they see me on the street.

12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind. I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

16 Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me by Your loving devotion.

17 O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.

18 May lying lips be silenced—lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

Be merciful to me חָנֵּ֥נִי H2603 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular O LORD יְהוָה֮ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction I am in distress צַ֫ר־ H6887 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular my eyes עֵינִ֗י H5869 Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular fail עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה H6244 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular from sorrow בְכַ֥עַס H3708 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular my soul נַפְשִׁ֥י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular and body as well וּבִטְנִֽי׃ H990 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 10

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction my life חַיַּי֮ H2416 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular is consumed כָל֪וּ H3615 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural with grief בְיָג֡וֹן H3015 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and my years וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י H8141 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular with groaning בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה H585 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular my iniquity בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י H5771 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular has drained כָּשַׁ֣ל H3782 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular my strength כֹחִ֑י H3581 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and my bones וַעֲצָמַ֥י H6106 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular are wasting away עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃ H6244 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 11

Original words

Among all מִכָּל־ H3605 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct my enemies צֹרְרַ֨י H6887 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular I am הָיִ֪יתִי H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular a disgrace חֶרְפָּ֡ה H2781 Noun - feminine singular and among my neighbors וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י׀ H7934 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular even more מְאֹד֮ H3966 Adverb I am dreaded וּפַ֪חַד H6343 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular by my friends לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י H3045 Preposition-l | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular they flee נָדְד֥וּ H5074 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural when they see רֹאַ֥י H7200 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular me מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ H4480 Preposition | first person common singular on the street בַּח֑וּץ H2351 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

I am forgotten נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי H7911 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular like a dead man כְּמֵ֣ת H4191 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular out of mind מִלֵּ֑ב H3820 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular I am הָ֝יִ֗יתִי H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular like a broken אֹבֵֽד׃ H6 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular vessel כִּכְלִ֥י H3627 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction I hear שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי׀ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular the slander דִּבַּ֥ת H1681 Noun - feminine singular construct of many רַבִּים֮ H7227 Adjective - masculine plural there is terror מָג֪וֹר H4032 Noun - masculine singular on every side מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב H5439 Preposition-m | Adverb They conspire בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם H3245 Preposition-b | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural . . . יַ֣חַד H3162 Adverb against me עָלַ֑י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular [and] plot זָמָֽמוּ׃ H2161 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to take לָקַ֖חַת H3947 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct my life נַפְשִׁ֣י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 14

Original words

But I וַאֲנִ֤י׀ H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular trust בָטַ֣חְתִּי H982 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular in You עָלֶ֣יךָ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I say אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular You אָֽתָּה׃ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are my God אֱלֹהַ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

My times עִתֹּתָ֑י H6256 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular [are] in Your hands בְּיָדְךָ֥ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular deliver me הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי H5337 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular from מִיַּד־ H3027 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct my enemies א֝וֹיְבַ֗י H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and from those who pursue me וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃ H7291 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 16

Original words

Make Your face פָ֭נֶיךָ H6440 Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular shine הָאִ֣ירָה H215 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition Your servant עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ H5650 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular save me ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי H3467 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular by Your loving devotion בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ H2617 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

O LORD יְֽהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular let me not אַל־ H408 Adverb be ashamed אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I have called on You קְרָאתִ֑יךָ H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Let the wicked רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים H7563 Adjective - masculine plural be put to shame יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ H954 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural let them lie silent יִדְּמ֥וּ H1826 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in Sheol לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃ H7585 Preposition-l | Noun - common singular
Verse 18

Original words

May lying שָׁ֥קֶר H8267 Noun - masculine singular lips שִׂפְתֵ֫י H8193 Noun - feminine dual construct be silenced תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה H481 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural [lips that] speak הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת H1696 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural with arrogance עָתָ֗ק H6277 Noun - masculine singular against עַל־ H5921 Preposition the righteous צַדִּ֥יק H6662 Adjective - masculine singular full of pride בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה H1346 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular and contempt וָבֽוּז׃ H937 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.