Psalms 71

1 In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge. Let me never be put to shame.

Yahweh, I have come to you to (get refuge/be protected); never allow me to become ashamed [because of being defeated].

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me. Bow down thine ear to me, and save me.

Because you always do what is right, help me and rescue me; listen to me, and save me!

3 Be thou to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually resort. Thou have given commandment to save me, for thou are my rock and my fortress.

Be [like an overhanging] rock [MET] under which I [can be] safe/protected; [be like] a strong fortress in which I am safe [DOU]. You [continually] command (OR, [Continually] command) [your angels] to rescue me.

4 Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of a wicked man, out of the hand of an unrighteous and cruel man.

God, rescue me from wicked [people], from the power of unjust and evil men.

5 For thou are my hope, O lord Jehovah, my trust from my youth.

Yahweh, my Lord, you are the one whom I confidently expect [to help me]; I have trusted in you since I was young.

6 By thee I have been held up from the womb. Thou are he who took me out of my mother's bowels. My praise shall be continually of thee.

I have depended on you all my life; you have taken care of me [IDM] since the day that I was born, [so] I will always praise you.

7 I am as a wonder to many, but thou are my strong refuge.

The manner in which I have conducted my life has been an example to many [people], because [they realize that] you have been my strong defender.

8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, and with thy honor all the day.

I praise you all day long, and I proclaim that you are glorious/wonderful.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age. Forsake me not when my strength fails.

Now, when I have become an old man, do not reject/abandon me; do not abandon me now, when I am not strong any more.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my soul take counsel together,

My enemies say [that they want to kill] me; they plan together [how they can do that].

11 saying, God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver.

They say [about me], “God has abandoned him; so now we can pursue him and seize him, because there is no one who will rescue him.”

12 O God, be not far from me. O my God, make haste to help me.

God, do not stay far away from me; hurry to help me!

13 Let them be put to shame and consumed who are adversaries to my soul. Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.

Cause those who (accuse me/say that I have done things that are wrong) to be defeated and destroyed; cause those who want to harm me to be shamed and disgraced.

14 But I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.

But [as for me], I will continually and confidently expect [you to do great things for me], and I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, of thy salvation all the day, for I know not the numbers.

I will tell people that you do what is right; all day long I will tell people how you have saved me, although what you have done is more than I can fully understand.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the lord Jehovah. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

Yahweh, my Lord, I will praise you for your mighty deeds; I will proclaim that only you always act justly.

17 O God, thou have taught me from my youth, and I have declared thy wondrous works until now.

God, you have taught me [many/those things] ever since I was young, and I still tell people about your wonderful deeds.

18 Yea, even when I am old and gray headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have declared thy strength to a generation, thy might to everyone who is to come.

And now, God, when I am old and my hair is gray, do not abandon me. [Stay with me] while I continue to proclaim to my children and grandchildren [HYP] that you are [very] powerful!

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, thou who have done great things. O God, who is like thee?

God, you do many righteous deeds; [it is as though] they extend up to the sky. You have done great things; there is no one like you [RHQ].

20 Thou, who have shown us many and great troubles, will revive us again, and will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

You have caused me to have many troubles and to suffer much, [but] you will cause me to become strong again; when I am almost dead [HYP], you will keep me alive.

21 Increase thou my greatness, and turn again and comfort me.

You will cause me to be greatly honored and you will encourage/comfort me again.

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God. To thee I will sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

I will also praise you [while I play] my harp; I will praise you, my God, for faithfully [doing what you have promised to do]. I will play hymns to praise you, the holy God whom [we] Israelis [worship].

23 My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises to thee, and my soul, which thou have redeemed.

I [SYN] will shout joyfully while I play [the harp] for you; with my entire inner being I will sing because you have rescued me.

24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long. For they are put to shame, for they are confounded, who seek my hurt.

All day long I will tell people that you act righteously, because those who wanted to harm me will have been defeated and disgraced.