Psalms 71

1 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.

In you, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

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

Deliver me in your righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline your ear unto me, and save me.

3 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.

Be you my strong habitation, unto which I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 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.

Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

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

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

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

By you have I been held up from the womb: you are he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of you.

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

I am as a wonder unto many; but you are my strong refuge.

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

Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your honour all the day.

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

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.

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

For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

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

Saying, God has forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

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

O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

13 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.

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

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

But I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more.

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

My mouth shall show forth your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

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

I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of your righteousness, even of your only.

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

O God, you have taught me from my youth: and until now have I declared your wondrous works.

18 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

Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed your strength unto this generation, and your power to every one that is to come.

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

Your righteousness also, O God, is very high, who have done great things: O God, who is like unto you!

20 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.

You, which have showed me great and sore troubles, shall restore life in me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

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

You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

22 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.

I will also praise you with the psaltery, even your truth, O my God: unto you will I sing with the harp, O you Holy One of Israel.

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

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto you; and my soul, which you have redeemed.

24 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.

My tongue also shall talk of your righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.