🎵WEB · Psalms 31:23
What does Psalms 31:23 mean?
"Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly."
— Psalms 31:23 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.
Praise be to Yahweh, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.
As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.
Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints! Yahweh preserves the faithful, and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in Yahweh.
Explanation
Psalm 31:23 is a call to devotion paired with a statement about how God deals with two different kinds of people. In plain language, the verse says: "All you who belong to God, love him! For the Lord keeps safe those who are faithful to him, but he pays back in full those who act with pride and arrogance." It is both an invitation and a warning, contrasting the security of the faithful with the judgment awaiting the proud.
This psalm is attributed to David, and much of it reads as a personal prayer of someone in deep distress—surrounded by enemies, feeling forgotten, even fearing death (see verses 9–13). Yet by the time we reach verse 23, the tone has shifted dramatically into praise and testimony. David has moved from crying out for help to declaring what he has learned through the ordeal: that God is trustworthy. The verse functions as a summary lesson drawn from his own experience, offered to the wider worshiping community ("all you his saints") so that others might trust God as he has learned to.
Theologically, the verse highlights two key truths. First, God "preserves the faithful"—those who remain loyal and trusting toward him, even amid hardship, are kept safe by his hand, not because they are sinless but because they cling to him rather than to their own strength or pride. Second, God "fully recompenses" the arrogant—those who exalt themselves, rely on their own power, or act with contempt toward God and others will not escape accountability. This reflects a consistent biblical pattern: God opposes pride but shows favor to those who depend on him (compare Proverb
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.