Psalms 71

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

Lord, you are the one who keeps me safe; please don't disappoint me.

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

Save me, rescue me, because you always do what is right.

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.

Please listen to me, and save me. Be my rock of protection where I can always go and hide. You gave the command to save me; for you are my rock and fortress.

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

My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of those who are evil and brutal.

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

For you, Lord God, are my hope. You are the one I have trusted since I was young.

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

I have depended on you since birth; you have taken care of me from my mother's womb. That's why I'm always praising you!

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

My life has been like a miracle to many people, for you have been my powerful protector.

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

All day long I am full of praise for you, telling how wonderful you are!

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

Don't reject me now I'm getting old. When my strength is gone, please don't abandon me.

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

For my enemies are talking about me; those who want to kill me are plotting together.

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

They say, “God has given up on him. Let's go after him because there's no one to save him.”

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

God, please don't stay away from me. My God, hurry to help me!

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

Defeat my accusers, get rid of them! May those who want to cause me trouble be covered with shame and disgrace!

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

As for me, I will go on hoping in you, and I will praise you more and more.

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

I will talk about your goodness and your salvation every day, even though it's more than I can understand.

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

I will come and explain what the Lord has done. I will remind people that you alone do what is right.

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

God, you have taught me since I was young, and I still tell others about all the wonderful things you do.

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 though I'm old and gray, please don't abandon me, God. Let me tell the new generation about your power. Let me explain to all who are to come the great things you do.

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

God, your trustworthy and true nature is higher than the highest heaven! You have done incredible things! 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.

You had me face many troubles and plenty of misery, but you will bring me back to life; you will rise me up from the depths of the earth.

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

You will give me even greater prestige, and you will make me happy again.

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.

Then I will praise you on the harp for your trustworthiness, my God. I will sing praises to you on the lyre, 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.

I will shout for joy as I sing praises to you, for you have redeemed me.

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

All day long I will tell about all the good things you have done, for those who tried to cause me misery have been disgraced and humiliated.