Christian prayer
Psalm 31
Psalm 31 from the Bible, in its original language and with its meaning.
- 24 verses
- About 2 minutes to recite
- From the Bible
- 1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
The Hebrew original
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2 בְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה חָ֭סִיתִי אַל־אֵב֣וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥ פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃
3 הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮ מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
4 כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָ֑תָּה וּלְמַ֥עַן שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃
5 תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת ז֭וּ טָ֣מְנוּ לִ֑י כִּֽי־אַ֝תָּה מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃
6 בְּיָדְךָ֮ אַפְקִ֪יד ר֫וּחִ֥י פָּדִ֖יתָה אוֹתִ֥י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ל אֱמֶֽת׃
7 שָׂנֵ֗אתִי הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃
8 אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃
9 וְלֹ֣א הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֑ב הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי׃
10 חָנֵּ֥נִי יְהוָה֮ כִּ֤י צַ֫ר־לִ֥י עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה בְכַ֥עַס עֵינִ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י וּבִטְנִֽי׃
11 כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮ וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃
12 מִכָּל־צֹרְרַ֨י הָיִ֪יתִי חֶרְפָּ֡ה וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀ מְאֹד֮ וּפַ֪חַד לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י רֹאַ֥י בַּח֑וּץ נָדְד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
13 נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵ֣ת מִלֵּ֑ב הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כִּכְלִ֥י אֹבֵֽד׃
14 כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀ דִּבַּ֥ת רַבִּים֮ מָג֪וֹר מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם יַ֣חַד עָלַ֑י לָקַ֖חַת נַפְשִׁ֣י זָמָֽמוּ׃
15 וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ עָלֶ֣יךָ בָטַ֣חְתִּי יְהוָ֑ה אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי אֱלֹהַ֥י אָֽתָּה׃
16 בְּיָדְךָ֥ עִתֹּתָ֑י הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִיַּד־א֝וֹיְבַ֗י וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃
17 הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
18 יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֑יךָ יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים יִדְּמ֥וּ לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃
19 תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֫י שָׁ֥קֶר הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת עַל־צַדִּ֥יק עָתָ֗ק בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה וָבֽוּז׃
20 מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮ אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ פָּ֭עַלְתָּ לַחֹסִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ נֶ֝֗גֶד בְּנֵ֣י אָדָם׃
21 תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ בְּסֵ֥תֶר פָּנֶיךָ֮ מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם בְּסֻכָּ֗ה מֵרִ֥יב לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃
22 בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֥י הִפְלִ֘יא חַסְדּ֥וֹ לִ֝֗י בְּעִ֣יר מָצֽוֹר׃
23 וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי בְחָפְזִ֗י נִגְרַזְתִּי֮ מִנֶּ֪גֶד עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ אָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ ק֥וֹל תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
24 אֶֽהֱב֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה כָּֽל־חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו אֱ֭מוּנִים נֹצֵ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם עַל־יֶ֝֗תֶר עֹשֵׂ֥ה גַאֲוָֽה׃
25 חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַיהוָֽה׃
Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here
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When it is prayed
Many Christians pray Psalm 31 in times of fear, grief or uncertainty, using its words to entrust their lives to God. It is also read in worship and personal devotion. In the Christian tradition, its words of entrustment are especially associated with Jesus’ death and reflection during Holy Week.
Where it comes from
Psalm 31 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible and was originally written in Hebrew. Its heading traditionally associates it with David. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus speaks words from this psalm as he dies: “Into your hands I commit my spirit.”

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Related prayers and texts
- ChristianPsalm 91A biblical psalm of trust in God’s shelter and protection amid danger.
- ChristianPsalm 23A biblical psalm of trust in God, pictured as a caring shepherd and generous host.
- ChristianPsalm 121A biblical psalm of trust in God as the keeper of those who look to him for help.
- ChristianPsalm 35A biblical psalm asking God for protection, justice and deliverance from enemies.
Questions about Psalm 31
How many verses are in Psalm 31?
Psalm 31 has 24 verses.
What is Psalm 31 about?
It is a prayer for refuge amid danger and distress. The speaker expresses anguish but also trust in God, ending with encouragement to remain strong and hopeful.
How long does it take to recite?
It takes about 2 minutes to recite, though the pace may vary.
Why is Psalm 31 associated with Jesus?
The Gospel of Luke records Jesus using its words, “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” at his death. Many Christians therefore read the psalm as a prayer of trust and surrender, especially during Holy Week.


















