Psalm 31 - Into Thine Hand I Commit My Spirit
A prayer of refuge under slander and grief, ending with courage to hope in God.
Psalm 31 continues the trust expressed in Psalms 30, opening with David putting his trust in the LORD as a strong rock and fortress, then speaking the words later echoed from the cross: "into thine hand I commit my spirit." He describes deep grief, a body consumed by sorrow, and reproach among his enemies.
The title of the oon and thrittithe salm. Lernyng to Dauid. Blessid ben thei, whose wickidnessis ben foryouun; and whose synnes ben hilid.
Blessid is the man, to whom the Lord arrettide not synne; nethir gile is in his spirit.
For Y was stille, my boonys wexiden elde; while Y criede al dai.
For bi dai and nyyt thin `hond was maad greuouse on me; Y am turned in my wretchednesse, while the thorn is set in.
I made my synne knowun to thee; and Y hidde not my vnriytfulnesse. I seide, Y schal knouleche ayens me myn vnriytfulnesse to the Lord; and thou hast foryoue the wickidnesse of my synne.
For this thing ech hooli man schal preye to thee; in couenable tyme. Netheles in the greet flood of many watris; tho schulen not neiye to thee.
Thou art my refuyt fro tribulacioun, that cumpasside me; thou, my fulli ioiyng, delyuere me fro hem that cumpassen me.
Y schal yyue vnderstondyng to thee, and Y schal teche thee; in this weie in which thou schalt go, Y schal make stidefast myn iyen on thee.
Nile ye be maad as an hors and mule; to whiche is noon vndurstondyng. Lord, constreyne thou the chekis of hem with a bernacle and bridil; that neiyen not to thee.
Many betyngis ben of the synnere; but merci schal cumpasse hym that hopith in the Lord.
Ye iust men, be glad, and make fulli ioie in the Lord; and alle ye riytful of herte, haue glorie.