CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. II
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. II

Psalm XXXI (31)

Cantillated — Lament Resolution

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 31 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

Heb 1

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

1Heb 2

In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

בְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חָ֭סִיתִי אַל־אֵב֣וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃

2Heb 3

Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me.

הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮ מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃

3Heb 4

For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָ֑תָּה וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃

4Heb 5

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת ז֭וּ טָ֣מְנוּ לִ֑י כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּה מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃

5Heb 6

Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

בְּיָדְךָ֮ אַפְקִ֪יד ר֫וּחִ֥י פָּדִ֖יתָה אוֹתִ֥י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת׃

6Heb 7

I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.

שָׂנֵ֗אתִי הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃

7Heb 8

I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃

8Heb 9

You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

וְלֹ֣א הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֑ב הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי׃

9Heb 10

Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ כִּ֤י צַ֫ר־לִ֥י עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה בְכַ֥עַס עֵינִ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י וּבִטְנִֽי׃

10Heb 11

For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮ וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃

11Heb 12

Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, a horror to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י הָיִ֪יתִי חֶרְפָּ֡ה וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀ מְאֹד֮ וּפַ֪חַד לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ נָדְד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

12Heb 13

I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.

נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵ֣ת מִלֵּ֑ב הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כִּכְלִ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃

13Heb 14

For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.

כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀ דִּבַּ֥ת רַבִּים֮ מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃

14Heb 15

But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָלֶ֣יךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אֱלֹהַ֥י אָֽתָּה׃

15Heb 16

My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

בְּיָדְךָ֥ עִתֹּתָ֑י הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִיַּד־א֝וֹיְבַ֗י וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃

16Heb 17

Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.

הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃

17Heb 18

Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.

יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֑יךָ יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יִדְּמ֥וּ לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃

18Heb 19

Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֫י שָׁ֥קֶר הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת עַל־צַדִּ֥יק עָתָ֗ק בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה וָבֽוּז׃

19Heb 20

Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men!

מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮ אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ נֶ֝֗גֶד בְּנֵ֣י אָדָם׃

20Heb 21

In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ בְּסֵ֥תֶר פָּנֶיךָ֮ מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם בְּסֻכָּ֗ה מֵרִ֥יב לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃

21Heb 22

Praise be to Yahweh, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.

בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֥י הִפְלִ֘יא חַסְדּ֥וֹ לִ֝֗י בְּעִ֣יר מָצֽוֹר׃

22Heb 23

As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶד עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

23Heb 24

Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

אֶֽהֱב֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו אֱ֭מוּנִים נֹצֵ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה׃

24Heb 25

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh.

חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

In You, O LORD

I take refuge

Do not let me

be put to shame

Deliver me

in Your righteousness

Turn Your ear

to me

Be my rock

of refuge

A strong fortress

to save me

For You are my rock

my fortress

Lead me

guide me

Free me

from the trap

they have set

For You

are my refuge

Into Your hands

I commit my spirit

Into Your hands

I commit my life

You redeem me

O LORD

God of truth

Be gracious to me

for I am in distress

My eyes grow weak

with sorrow

My soul

my body

fade

My life is consumed

by anguish

My strength fails

My bones grow weak

I am a reproach

to my enemies

Forgotten

like the dead

Like broken pottery

Fear surrounds me

They conspire

to take my life

But I trust in You

O LORD

I say

You are my God

My times

are in Your hands

Deliver me

from my enemies

Let Your face shine

Save me

in Your love

How great

is Your goodness

Stored for those

who fear You

You hide them

in Your presence

You shelter them

from all harm

Blessed be the LORD

Blessed be the LORD

Love the LORD

all His faithful ones

Be strong

Take courage

All who hope

in the LORD

Be strong

Take courage

Be strong

Take courage

All who hope

in the LORD

Be strong

Take courage

Do not let me

be put to shame

Deliver me

in Your righteousness

Turn Your ear

to me

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn