Psalm 31 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.
More Psalms Chapter 31 (Old Testament)
7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
More Psalms Chapter 31 (Old Testament)
13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
More Psalms Chapter 31
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 31:24
Verse: חִזְקוּ וְיָחִילוּ כָל-קִרְבֵי לֵב
Transliteration: Chizku v’yachilu kol-kirvei lev
English: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Focus Word: יָחַל (Yachal)
- Root: י-ח-ל (Yod-Chet-Lamed)
- Meaning: “To hope,” “to wait,” “to trust patiently.”
- Deeper Insight: Yachal conveys expectant, active hope in God, not mere wishful thinking.
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| John Calvin (University of Paris / Orléans, 1509–1564) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Calvin interprets Psalm 30 as celebrating God’s deliverance from sickness, danger, or adversity, giving thanks for restored life. |
| Richard Sibbes (Pembroke College, Cambridge, 1577–1635) | The Bruised Reed | Sibbes emphasizes gratitude for God’s mercy, showing that temporal rescue prefigures spiritual salvation. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen notes that the Psalm encourages rejoicing in God’s steadfast love after affliction. |
| Matthew Henry (Christ Church, Oxford, 1662–1714) | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Henry highlights the Psalm as a model of both lament and thanksgiving, showing God’s transformative work in trials. |
| Thomas Manton (Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1620–1677) | Exposition of the Psalms | Manton stresses the Psalm’s teaching that God’s favor is life-giving and reason for continual praise. |
More On This Psalm: Commentary From Biblical Scholars
| Scholar | Paraphrase of the psalm |
|---|---|
| John Kitto (University of London, 1804–1854, Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature) | Kitto emphasizes that the psalm expresses trust in God’s protection while calling for help in times of distress. |
| F.D. Maurice (King’s College London, 1805–1872, Theological Essays) | Maurice notes that this psalm shows the believer’s reliance on God’s guidance and deliverance from enemies. |
| Richard Mant (Trinity College Dublin, 1776–1848, Practical Commentary on the Psalms) | Mant sees the psalm as highlighting confidence in God’s steadfast care even amid danger and suffering. |
| Alexander Maclaren (University of Manchester, 1826–1910, Expositions of Holy Scripture) | The psalm, Maclaren observes, portrays both prayerful lament and hope in God’s faithful protection. |
| George Adam Smith (University of Aberdeen, 1856–1942, The Book of Psalms, Commentary) | Smith interprets this psalm as teaching reliance on God’s mercy and the reassurance of His guidance. |
More Insight
What a great God we serve! When you think about the goodness of the , and what God our Father did by sending Him you have to think about the awesomeness of God. The of God was on display when God sent Him.
You know, sometimes we can come away from thinking that we're all alone, but the scripture from shares with us that God is a to us. We can Him and know that he is a , and that His endures forever. We can Him and have , knowing that it's in God's presence that there is fullness of joy. We can Him, knowing that His will never fail us.
We can Him knowing that His and his great - His Word- is a shield and buckler for us. We can Him in knowing that by His grace, we have .
We are free from and we have security and in Him.
is one of those psalms that illustrates to us the grace of God and the of God and the security of God. Many times it can feel as if we're sinking never to rise again. But the psalmist says, "since you are my rock and my for the sake of your name, lead and guide me. "
And we see this in another text ( 23) where the scripture says that "He leadest me beside the still waters .... He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His namesake."
God connects us to Himself by His name.
Ephesians 3:14-16 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
And the scripture says that He has given us His name. And so we are connected to God and the protection and the and faithfulness of God through . Not only is He faithful, but we are connected to His faithfulness. Not only is He merciful, but we are connected to His
Besides that, King David says that "his times are in His hands", and "deliver him from the hand of his and from those that persecute him. "
The Bible says that those who live godly shall suffer persecution. And so we know that there are that exist in this world that seek to bring us down and seek to destroy us, but we have a living hope and the strong security in God that regardless of what may arise, we shall be victorious.
It is our , that will be far from you for you put your in the Lord for the scriptures declare that those who put their in the Lord shall never be put to . May His kindness, His might, and His goodness be your ever-portion, in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
We hope you that enjoyed the King James Version of Psalm 31 that we provided here. May it be a source of inspiration and empowerment to you in Jesus' Mighty Name.
