In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
as for me, I trust in the LORD.
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
For I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31 provides a beautiful and powerful pattern of trust in God that we can sing when we face difficult circumstances.
One, trust in God. The psalmist repeatedly affirms his trust in God, even during overwhelming circumstances. He acknowledges that God is his refuge and his rock, and he puts his faith in God's ability to deliver him from danger.
Two, cry out to God. The psalmist is not afraid to cry out to God in his distress. He pours out his heart to God, expressing his fears, his pain, and his struggles. He does not hold back or try to put on a brave face; instead, he lays everything before God.
Three, confess sin. The psalmist acknowledges his sinfulness and asks for God's forgiveness. He recognizes that he is not perfect and needs God's mercy and grace.
Four, recognize God's goodness. The psalmist praises God for his goodness and faithfulness, even amid arduous circumstances. He affirms that God is just and righteous and that he can be trusted to do what is right.
Five, hope in God's salvation. The psalmist looks forward to the day when God will rescue him from his troubles. He trusts that God will act on his behalf and waits patiently for God's deliverance.
Let us, like David, trust in God, cry out to him in our distress, confess our sins, recognize his goodness and hope in his salvation. It will help us get through our difficult circumstances.