Psalm 70-72
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 70
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
O Lord, make haste to help me!(A)
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion
who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire to hurt me.(B)
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”
turn back because of their shame.(C)
4 Let all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!(D)
Psalm 71
Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help
1 In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.(E)
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.(F)
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress[a] to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.(G)
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.(H)
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.(I)
6 From my birth I have leaned upon you,
my protector since my mother’s womb.[b]
My praise is continually of you.(J)
7 I have been like a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.(K)
8 My mouth is filled with your praise
and with your glory all day long.(L)
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
do not forsake me when my strength is spent.(M)
10 For my enemies speak concerning me,
and those who watch for my life consult together.(N)
11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person
whom God has forsaken,
for there is no one to deliver.”(O)
12 O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!(P)
13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
let those who seek to hurt me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.(Q)
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.(R)
16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.(S)
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.(T)
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(U) 19 and your righteousness, O God,
reach the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?(V)
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.(W)
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.(X)
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.(Y)
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.(Z)
Psalm 72
Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King
Of Solomon.
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king’s son.(AA)
2 May he judge your people with righteousness
and your poor with justice.(AB)
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.(AC)
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
and crush the oppressor.(AD)
5 May he live[d] while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.(AE)
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.(AF)
7 In his days may righteousness flourish
and peace abound, until the moon is no more.(AG)
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.(AH)
9 May his foes[e] bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust.(AI)
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts.(AJ)
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.(AK)
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.(AL)
15 Long may he live!
May gold of Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be made for him continually
and blessings invoked for him all day long.(AM)
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field.(AN)
17 May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun.
May all nations be blessed in him;[f]
may they pronounce him happy.(AO)
18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.(AP)
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may his glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and Amen.(AQ)
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.