Psalms 71

1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

A Psalm of David. Of the sons of Jonadab and the former captives. In you, O Lord, I have hoped; do not let me be brought to ruin forever.

2 In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; incline Your ear and save me.

Free me by your justice, and rescue me. Incline your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.

Be a God of protection and a place of strength for me, so that you may accomplish my salvation. For you are my firmament and my refuge.

4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the unjust and those who act against the law.

5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.

For you, O Lord, are my patience: my hope from my youth, O Lord.

6 I have leaned on You since birth; You pulled me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always for You.

In you, I have been confirmed from conception. From my mother’s womb, you are my protector. In you, I will sing forever.

7 I have become a portent to many, but You are my strong refuge.

I have become to many as if I were a portent, but you are a strong helper.

8 My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your splendor all day long.

Let my mouth be filled with praise, so that I may sing your glory, your greatness all day long.

9 Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.

Do not cast me off in the time of old age. Do not abandon me when my strength will fail.

10 For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,

For my enemies have spoken against me. And those who watched for my soul have taken counsel as one,

11 saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.”

saying: “God has abandoned him. Pursue and overtake him. For there is no one to rescue him.”

12 Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.

O God, do not be far from me. O my God, provide for my assistance.

13 May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace.

May they be confounded, and may they fail, who drag down my soul. Let them be covered with confusion and shame, who seek evils for me.

14 But I will always hope and will praise You more and more.

But I will always have hope. And I will add more to all your praise.

15 My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.

My mouth will announce your justice, your salvation all day long. For I have not known letters.

16 I will enter in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will proclaim Your righteousness—Yours alone.

I will enter into the powers of the Lord. I will be mindful of your justice alone, O Lord.

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.

You have taught me from my youth, O God. And so I will declare your wonders continuously,

18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.

even in old age and with grey hairs. Do not abandon me, O God, while I announce your arm to every future generation: your power

19 Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?

and your justice, O God, even to the highest great things that you have done. O God, who is like you?

20 Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.

How great is the tribulation that you have revealed to me: very great and evil. And so, turning back, you have brought me to life, and you have led me back again from the abyss of the earth.

21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

You have multiplied your magnificence. And so, turning back to me, you have consoled me.

22 So I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to You with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

Therefore, I will confess your truth to you, with the instruments of the Psalter. O God, I will sing psalms to you with stringed instruments, O Holy One of Israel.

23 When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.

My lips will exult, when I sing to you, and also my soul, which you have redeemed.

24 My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.

And even my tongue will meditate on your justice all day long, when those who seek evils for me have been confounded and set in awe.