Psalms 71

1 In you, O Lord, have I put my hope; let me never be shamed.

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

2 Keep me safe in your righteousness, and come to my help; give ear to my voice, and be my saviour.

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

3 Be my strong Rock, the strong place of my salvation; for you are my Rock, and my safe place.

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 O my God, take me out of the hand of the sinner, out of the hand of the evil and cruel man.

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; I have had faith in you from the time when I was young.

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

6 You have been my support from the day of my birth; you took me out of my mother's body; my praise will be ever of 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 am a wonder to all; but you are my strong tower.

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

8 My mouth will be full of your praise and glory all the day.

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

9 Do not give me up when I am old; be my help even when my strength is gone.

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

10 For my haters are waiting secretly for me; and those who are watching for my soul are banded together in their evil designs,

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

11 Saying, God has given him up; go after him and take him, for he has no helper.

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

12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, come quickly to my help.

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

13 Let those who say evil against my soul be overcome and put to shame; let my haters be made low and have no honour.

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 go on ever hoping, and increasing in all your praise.

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

15 My mouth will make clear your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for they are more than may be measured.

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

16 I will give news of the great acts of the Lord God; my words will be of your righteousness, and of yours only.

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 been my teacher from the time when I was young; and I have been talking of your works of wonder even till now.

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

18 Now when I am old and grey-headed, O God, give me not up; till I have made clear your strength to this generation, and your power to all those 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, O God, is very high; you have done great things; O God, who 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 You, who have sent great and bitter troubles on me, will give me life again, lifting me up from the deep waters of the underworld.

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 make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side.

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

22 I will give praise to you with instruments of music, O my God, for you are true; I will make songs to you with music, 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 Joy will be on my lips when I make melody to you; and in my soul, to which you have given salvation.

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

24 My tongue will be talking of your righteousness all the day; for those whose purpose is to do me evil have been crushed and put to shame.

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.