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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse reveals that the psalmist isn't just asking for his enemies to be silenced in death, but for their wicked deeds and lies to be rendered ineffective, ultimately leading to their utter cessation of activity in the grave. This isn't merely a curse, but a plea for divine justice to expose the futility of evil and its inability to triumph over those who call on God.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Facing intense opposition and persecution, the psalmist has poured out his heart to God, confessing his deep distress and pleading for deliverance. Having already established his trust in the Lord, even amidst suffering and betrayal, he now prays for God's vindication. This plea contrasts his own hope in God with the wicked enemies who are plotting against him, anticipating their ultimate shame and silence in death.
Ever feel like life is spinning out of control, with no one to turn to? This verse touches on a profound level of trust that goes beyond mere hope.
The psalmist declares, 'My times are in your hand' (Psalm 31:15). This isn't just about trusting God with the big moments, but with the entirety of life's flow—the good, the bad, and the uncertain.
Beyond Circumstance
Calvin highlights that this means trusting God not just with the length of life, but with its constant shifts and dangers. It’s an acknowledgment that God is the sovereign disposer of all events, big and small. This perspective frees us from the dread of unpredictable circumstances.
A Relational Faith
This deep trust is rooted in the personal relationship: 'I said, You are my God' (Psalm 31:14). It’s not an abstract faith, but a confident declaration to God Himself. This assurance fuels the courage to face any adversity, knowing our ultimate destiny is secure in His care.
The psalmist asks for two very different outcomes for himself and his enemies. What does this stark contrast reveal about God's justice?
Psalm 31:17 presents a powerful contrast: 'let me not be put to shame' for the believer who calls on God, and 'let the wicked be put to shame' and 'go silently to Sheol.'
The Shame of the Wicked
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The 'shame' of the wicked isn't just embarrassment. It's the ultimate exposure and frustration of their evil plans and their trust in anything other than God. Their silence in Sheol (the grave, the place of the dead) signifies their final, irreversible defeat and inability to continue their harmful actions or boast.
The Vindication of the Faithful
Conversely, the one who calls on the Lord anticipates not being shamed. This isn't a guarantee of earthly popularity or constant ease, but a confidence that God's ultimate justice will vindicate His faithful followers. Their calling upon God means their hope is placed in Him, and He will not let that trust be utterly disgraced. It points to a future where God's righteousness is fully revealed.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal self-existence and His redemptive relationship with His people.
buwsh · Hebrew Verb
The state of disappointment, dishonor, or public humiliation. Biblically, it often refers to the condition of those whose trust in false gods or their own strength is proven vain.
she'owl · Hebrew Noun
The realm of the dead or the underworld in Old Testament thought. It represents the grave or the place where the wicked ultimately face judgment and silence.
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Refers to those who oppose God and His people through evil actions. It is a state of rebellion against the divine order and moral law.
This psalm's plea for vindication and the silencing of enemies gains profound weight when understood against the backdrop of the Babylonian exile. The deep distress, the feeling of shame, and the desperate longing for God to intervene against wicked oppressors echo the experiences of a people stripped of their homeland and Temple, yearning for God's justice to be manifest in a world that seemed to have abandoned them.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian ascendancy and Israelite decline
The Neo-Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence over the region, leading to increased tribute demands, political instability, and the eventual deportation of many Israelites from the northern kingdom.
605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Judah, initiating a series of deportations of Jewish people, including members of the royal family and skilled artisans, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deported more of Jerusalem's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon, further intensifying the crisis of exile.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, marking the catastrophic end of the Judean kingdom and the main phase of the Babylonian exile.
c. 586 BC - 538 BC— this verse
Babylonian Exile
The period of exile in Babylon, during which the Jewish people lived in a foreign land, lamenting their lost homeland and clinging to their faith and identity.
539 BC
Persian conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, paving the way for the return of the exiles to Judah.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus allowing return
Cyrus issued a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
This passage echoes the sentiment of trusting in God for deliverance, directly asking that the psalmist not be put to shame, mirroring the plea in Psalm 31:17.
Jeremiah 17:18Jeremiah directly prays for his persecutors to be put to shame and not to prosper, reflecting the same desire for divine justice against the wicked seen in Psalm 31:17.
Isaiah 45:24-25This prophecy speaks of a future where all who rage against God will be put to shame and will ultimately come to God, finding their place with Him, which aligns with the ultimate fate of the wicked described in Psalm 31:17.
Romans 9:33This New Testament passage references Isaiah and speaks of those who stumble on Christ being put to shame, connecting the concept of shame with opposition to God's plan, similar to how the wicked are shamed in the psalm.
calvinPsalms 31:14-18: "But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God."
- Yet have I trusted in thee, O Jehovah! I have said, Thou art my God. 15. My times are in thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; preserve me in thy goodness. 17. O Jehovah! let me not be ashamed; for I have called on thee: let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in the grave. 18. Let lying lips be put to silence, which spe…
cambridgePsalms 31:17: "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."
17 . The prayer of Psalm 31:1 is repeated. While my prayers are answered, let my enemies be silenced and consigned to Sheol. A similar prayer in Psalm 25:2-3 ; Jeremiah 17:18 .
The verse reveals that the psalmist isn't just asking for his enemies to be silenced in death, but for their wicked deeds and lies to be rendered ineffective, ultimately leading to their utter cessation of activity in the grave. This isn't merely a curse, but a plea for divine justice to expose the futility of evil and its inability to triumph over those who call on God.
Facing intense opposition and persecution, the psalmist has poured out his heart to God, confessing his deep distress and pleading for deliverance. Having already established his trust in the Lord, even amidst suffering and betrayal, he now prays for God's vindication. This plea contrasts his own hope in God with the wicked enemies who are plotting against him, anticipating their ultimate shame and silence in death.
Facing intense opposition and persecution, the psalmist has poured out his heart to God, confessing his deep distress and pleading for deliverance. Having already established his trust in the Lord, even amidst suffering and betrayal, he now prays for God's vindication. This plea contrasts his own hope in God with the wicked enemies who are plotting against him, anticipating their ultimate shame and silence in death.
"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." — The verse reveals that the psalmist isn't just asking for his enemies to be silenced in death, but for their wicked deeds and lies to be rendered ineffective, ultimately leading to their utter cessat…
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Last reviewed October 2026