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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.
- BSB O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks not to be put to shame since he calls on God, but that the wicked be shamed and silenced in death. It pleads for vindication and the defeat of evil.
Overview
David's confidence is that those who call on God will not be disappointed, while the wicked will be silenced. The prayer entrusts justice to God rather than personal revenge. It reflects the certainty that God ultimately vindicates the faithful and judges the unrepentant.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Ps 25:2–3O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
- Jer 20:11But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
- Ps 115:17The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
- Ps 34:5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
- Ps 35:26Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
- Isa 41:11–12Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
- Ps 94:17Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
- Ps 71:24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
- 1 Sam 2:9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
- Ps 70:2–3Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
- Ps 40:14–15Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
- Ps 69:6–7Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
- Ps 35:4Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
- Isa 45:16–17They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
- Dan 12:2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
- Joel 2:26–27And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
- Ps 6:10Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.
- Isa 50:6–7I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- Matt 22:12–13And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
- Ps 31:1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
- Ps 83:16–17Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
- Isa 65:13–14Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 31:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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