Psalm 31 17

Psalm 31:17 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.

Psalm 31:17 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.

Psalm 31:17 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.

Psalm 31:17 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.

Psalm 31:17 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.

Psalm 31 verses

Psalm 31 17 Meaning

Psalm 31:17 is a fervent plea from a person in distress, deeply trusting in God's faithfulness despite being surrounded by adversaries. The psalmist implores the Lord to prevent him from experiencing the humiliation of seeing his faith in vain, given his reliance on divine help. In stark contrast, he asks that his wicked persecutors be disgraced and rendered powerless, their destructive activities brought to a complete halt, particularly through death, silencing their malice and ending their oppression.

Psalm 31 17 Context

Psalm 31 as a whole is a prayer of desperate appeal in the face of intense suffering, betrayal, and hostility, yet it is powerfully underscored by an enduring trust in the Lord. The psalmist expresses deep anguish (vv. 9-13), lamenting betrayal by friends, slander from foes, and constant threats. Amidst this distress, he reaffirms his complete reliance on God as his rock and fortress (vv. 1-3) and commits his spirit into God's hand (v. 5). Verse 17 fits into the psalmist's plea for God's active intervention and justice against his persecutors, a common theme where personal deliverance is linked to the vindication of God's righteousness over wickedness.

Historically and culturally, public shame was a powerful deterrent and a deeply painful experience in ancient Near Eastern societies. To be "ashamed" implied that one's trust or hopes were baseless, often bringing dishonor not only to the individual but also to their family or the God they claimed to serve. The psalmist's earnest prayer not to be shamed reflects a desire for God to demonstrate His faithfulness and power publicly, thereby upholding His own honor and the integrity of His servant's trust. His request for the wicked to be "silent in the grave" echoes the common biblical understanding of Sheol as a realm of cessation, where the power, plots, and taunts of the ungodly would ultimately cease, thereby providing rest and security for the righteous.

Psalm 31 17 Word analysis

• "Let me not be ashamed" (Hebrew: לֹא־אֵב֖וֹשׁ lo-’evosh): The word "ashamed" (bosh) conveys the sense of being put to shame, confounded, or disappointed, particularly when one's hope or expectation proves futile. Here, it refers to the deep humiliation and disgrace that would come if the psalmist's trust in God were to appear groundless or unrewarded in the eyes of his mocking enemies. It implies a public discrediting of his faith.
• "O LORD" (Hebrew: יהוה Yahweh): This is the sacred, personal covenant name of God, indicating His faithfulness, sovereignty, and unique relationship with His people. The psalmist addresses God by His most intimate name, emphasizing his plea is made to the One who has promised to uphold His covenant and deliver His servants.
• "for I have called upon thee" (Hebrew: כִּ֣י קְרָאתִ֣יךָ ki k'ratikha): "Called upon" (qara) signifies more than casual prayer; it denotes an earnest cry, a desperate appeal, an invocation of God's immediate presence and saving power in a moment of dire need. The "for" establishes the foundation of the plea: the psalmist's consistent reliance and trust in God serves as a valid basis for his request for divine intervention and protection from shame.
• "let the wicked be ashamed" (Hebrew: יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ רְשָׁעִ֑ים yevoshu resha'im): This is a direct parallel to the psalmist's own prayer, but now directed at his oppressors, the "wicked" (rasha). "Wicked" refers to those who are morally corrupt, oppressive, and act contrary to God's law. The prayer is that their pride, schemes, and unjust actions will lead to their public disgrace and downfall, demonstrating the folly of opposing God and His faithful.
• "and let them be silent in the grave" (Hebrew: יִדְּמ֖וּ לִשְׁא֣וֹל yid'mu li-sh'ol):
  • "silent" (Hebrew: דמם damam): This verb means to be still, quiet, silenced, or destroyed. It speaks of the cessation of activity, especially the cessation of malicious actions, plotting, and taunting. It represents the loss of their voice, power, and influence.
  • "grave" (Hebrew: שְׁאוֹל she'ol): Sheol is the common Hebrew term for the realm of the dead, the underworld or the pit. It is consistently depicted in the Old Testament as a place of darkness, silence, and inactivity, where there is no work, knowledge, or memory. The prayer is for the ultimate defeat of the wicked by their being confined to Sheol, thus ending their ability to persecute and ending their earthly presence and influence.

Psalm 31 17 Bonus section

The Hebrew parallelism inherent in this verse creates a striking contrast between the desired fate of the righteous and the wicked. The request for the righteous to "not be ashamed" is diametrically opposed to the request for the "wicked to be ashamed." Similarly, the implied continued life and active trust of the psalmist stands against the wicked's requested fate of being "silent in the grave," symbolizing their ultimate destruction and removal from the sphere of active malice. This contrast reinforces the biblical principle that God distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked in judgment and destiny.

Psalm 31 17 Commentary

Psalm 31:17 encapsulates the dual plea of the persecuted righteous: a fervent desire for personal vindication and a righteous cry for the just recompense of the wicked. The psalmist, identifying deeply with God's honor, petitions that his trust in Yahweh not result in the public shame or disappointment that his enemies desire for him. His confident appeal is founded upon his consistent act of "calling upon" the Lord, highlighting a lived relationship of reliance. The verse then swiftly transitions to a corresponding request for divine justice against the wicked. He asks for their plots to recoil on them, leading to their disgrace, and ultimately, for their complete cessation of activity by being "silent in the grave" (Sheol). This "silence" represents not just death, but the end of their malicious influence, their power to harm, and their defiant boasts against God and His people. It is a prayer for cosmic order to be restored, where the upright are defended and the unjust are justly brought to naught, affirming God's active governance in human affairs.