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Psalm 31

1  In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
      let me never be put to shame; ♦︎
   deliver me in your righteousness.
2  Incline your ear to me; ♦︎
   make haste to deliver me.
3  Be my strong rock, a fortress to save me,
      for you are my rock and my stronghold; ♦︎
   guide me, and lead me for your name’s sake.
4  Take me out of the net
      that they have laid secretly for me, ♦︎
   for you are my strength.
5  Into your hands I commend my spirit, ♦︎
   for you have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
6  I hate those who cling to worthless idols; ♦︎
   I put my trust in the Lord.
7  I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy, ♦︎
   for you have seen my affliction
      and known my soul in adversity.
8  You have not shut me up in the hand of the enemy; ♦︎
   you have set my feet in an open place.
9  Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in trouble; ♦︎
   my eye is consumed with sorrow,
      my soul and my body also.
10  For my life is wasted with grief,
      and my years with sighing; ♦︎
   my strength fails me because of my affliction,
      and my bones are consumed.
11  I have become a reproach to all my enemies
      and even to my neighbours,
      an object of dread to my acquaintances; ♦︎
   when they see me in the street they flee from me.
12  I am forgotten like one that is dead, out of mind; ♦︎
   I have become like a broken vessel.
13  For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
      fear is on every side; ♦︎
   they scheme together against me,
      and plot to take my life.
14  But my trust is in you, O Lord. ♦︎
   I have said, ‘You are my God.
15  ‘My times are in your hand; ♦︎
   deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
      and from those who persecute me.
16  ‘Make your face to shine upon your servant, ♦︎
   and save me for your mercy’s sake.’
17  Lord, let me not be confounded
      for I have called upon you; ♦︎
   but let the wicked be put to shame;
      let them be silent in the grave.
18  Let the lying lips be put to silence ♦︎
   that speak against the righteous
      with arrogance, disdain and contempt.
19  How abundant is your goodness, O Lord,
      which you have laid up for those who fear you; ♦︎
   which you have prepared in the sight of all
      for those who put their trust in you.
20  You hide them in the shelter of your presence
      from those who slander them; ♦︎
   you keep them safe in your refuge from the strife of tongues.
21  Blessed be the Lord! ♦︎
   For he has shown me his steadfast love
      when I was as a city besieged.
22  I had said in my alarm,
      ‘I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.’ ♦︎
   Nevertheless, you heard the voice of my prayer
      when I cried out to you.
23  Love the Lord, all you his servants; ♦︎
   for the Lord protects the faithful,
      but repays to the full the proud.
24  Be strong and let your heart take courage, ♦︎
   all you who wait in hope for the Lord.

Righteousness through Faith

21 But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ^* for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement^* by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.^*

27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. ²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.