Psalm 31:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.

NIV: 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.

NASB: Let me not be put to shame, Lord, for I call upon You; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

CSB: Lord, do not let me be disgraced when I call on you. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them be quiet in Sheol.

NLT: Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord, for I call out to you for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.

David asks the Lord to not allow him to experience shame. This is more than emotion: it is also an expression that means being defeated and struck down. It would certainly be humiliating and disastrous if David fell victim to his enemies and forfeited his crown. Yet his trust in the Lord is clear. David bases his desire for vindication on the fact that he was calling upon the Lord. Rather than being the one to experience defeat and disgrace—"shame"—David asks that the Lord bring that fate to his enemies.

He asks also that their fate be accompanied by silence. In earlier verses David noted that his enemies were whispering plots and schemes (Psalm 31:13). The Lord could silence them by consigning them to the realm of the dead. In Psalm 63:7 David testifies how the Lord has helped him, so he will sing joyfully under that protection. He also writes, "Those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth" (Psalm 63:9). Someday, the Lord will judge the wicked, consigning them forever to endless suffering in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10–15).

Verse 18

Psalm 31:14–22 comes after David expressed sorrow over persecution and abandonment. Despite hardship, David tells God he still trusts in Him. He regarded the Lord as the foundation of his confidence. David asks the Lord to be forgiving and merciful, preserving him from the enemies who have attacked him. This passage celebrates God's forgiving nature, while looking back on prior instances of rescue.

Because God has rescued him in the past, David chooses to trust the Lord even when he is in danger. Neighbors and friends may abandon him, and enemies may plot, but David is confident he will be vindicated. He also calls on others to be firm and brave as they choose to trust in God.

David mentions dangers and enemies in this psalm. He may have been referring to besieged cities such as Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1–15) or Ziklag (1 Samuel 30). Despite the plots of his enemies and abandonment by friends, David trusts in the Lord, receives an answer to his prayer, and encourages his fellow believers to love the Lord and be strong. This echoes themes also seen in Psalms 4, 25, and 71.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.