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Psalm 71

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.(A)
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.(B)
Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress[a] to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(C)

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.(D)
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.(E)
From my birth I have leaned upon you,
    my protector since my mother’s womb.[b]
My praise is continually of you.(F)

I have been like a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.(G)
My mouth is filled with your praise
    and with your glory all day long.(H)
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    do not forsake me when my strength is spent.(I)
10 For my enemies speak concerning me,
    and those who watch for my life consult together.(J)
11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person
    whom God has forsaken,
    for there is no one to deliver.”(K)

12 O God, do not be far from me;
    O my God, make haste to help me!(L)
13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
    let those who seek to hurt me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(M)
14 But I will hope continually
    and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all day long,
    though their number is past my knowledge.(N)
16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
    I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.(O)

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.(P)
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
    O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might
    to all the generations to come.[c]
Your power(Q) 19 and your righteousness, O God,
    reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things,
    O God, who is like you?(R)
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
    will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.(S)
21 You will increase my honor
    and comfort me once again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O Holy One of Israel.(T)
23 My lips will shout for joy
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have rescued.(U)
24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,
for those who tried to do me harm
    have been put to shame and disgraced.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 71.3 Gk: Heb to come continually you have commanded
  2. 71.6 Q ms Gk Jerome: MT from my mother’s womb you took me
  3. 71.18 Gk Compare Syr: Heb to a generation, to all who come

Psalm 71(A)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame.(C)
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear(D) to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(E)
Deliver(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(G)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(H)

For you have been my hope,(I) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence(J) since my youth.
From birth(K) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(L)
    I will ever praise(M) you.
I have become a sign(N) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.(O)
My mouth(P) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor(Q) all day long.

Do not cast(R) me away when I am old;(S)
    do not forsake(T) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(U) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill(V) me conspire(W) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(X) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue(Y) him.”
12 Do not be far(Z) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help(AA) me.
13 May my accusers(AB) perish in shame;(AC)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(AD)

14 As for me, I will always have hope;(AE)
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell(AF) of your righteous deeds,(AG)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(AH) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(AI) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(AJ)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(AK)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(AL) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(AM)

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(AN)
    you who have done great things.(AO)
    Who is like you, God?(AP)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(AQ)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore(AR) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(AS)
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(AT)
    and comfort(AU) me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp(AV)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(AW)
    Holy One of Israel.(AX)
23 My lips will shout for joy(AY)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.(AZ)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,(BA)
for those who wanted to harm me(BB)
    have been put to shame and confusion.(BC)