Mazmur 31:18-20

31:18 May lying lips be silenced –

lips ¹  that speak defiantly against the innocent ² 

with arrogance and contempt!

31:19 How great is your favor, ³ 

which you store up for your loyal followers! ⁴ 

In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter ⁵  in you. ⁶ 

31:20 You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks ⁷  of men; ⁸ 

you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks. ⁹ 

[31:18]  ¹ tn Heb “the [ones which].”

[31:18]  ² tn Or “godly.”

[31:19]  ³ tn Or “How abundant are your blessings!”

[31:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “for those who fear you.”

[31:19]  ⁵ tn “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11-12; 34:21-22).

[31:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “you work [your favor] for the ones seeking shelter in you before the sons of men.”

[31:20]  ⁷ tn The noun רֹכֶס (rokhes) occurs only here. Its meaning is debated; some suggest “snare,” while others propose “slander” or “conspiracy.”

[31:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “you hide them in the hiding place of your face from the attacks of man.” The imperfect verbal forms in this verse draw attention to God’s typical treatment of the faithful.

[31:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “you conceal them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”