Psalm 71

Psalm 71

¹I have taken refuge in you, O Lord. 

Never let me be put to shame. 

²Rescue me and free me because of your righteousness. 

Turn your ear toward me, and save me. 

³Be a rock on which I may live, 

a place where I may always go. 

You gave the order to save me! 

Indeed, you are my rock and my fortress. 

⁴My God, free me from the hands of a wicked person, 

from the grasp of one who is cruel and unjust. 

⁵You are my hope, O Almighty Lord. 

You have been my confidence ever since I was young. 

⁶I depended on you before I was born. 

You took me from my mother’s womb. 

My songs of praise constantly speak about you. 

⁷I have become an example to many people, 

but you are my strong refuge. 

⁸My mouth is filled with your praise, 

with your glory all day long. 

⁹Do not reject me when I am old 

or abandon me when I lose my strength. 

¹⁰My enemies talk about me. 

They watch me as they plot to take my life. 

¹¹They say, “God has abandoned him. 

Pursue him and grab him because there is no one to rescue him.” 

¹²O God, do not be so distant from me. 

O my God, come quickly to help me. 

¹³Let those who accuse me come to a shameful end. 

Let those who want my downfall be covered 

with disgrace and humiliation. 

¹⁴But I will always have hope. 

I will praise you more and more. 

¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness, 

about your salvation all day long. 

Even then, it is more than I can understand. 

¹⁶I will come with the mighty deeds of the Almighty Lord. 

I will praise your righteousness, yours alone. 

¹⁷O God, you have taught me ever since I was young, 

and I still talk about the miracles you have done. 

¹⁸Even when I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. 

Let me live to tell the people of this age 

what your strength has accomplished, 

to tell about your power to all who will come. 

¹⁹Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God. 

You have done great things. 

O God, who is like you? 

²⁰You have made me endure many terrible troubles. 

You restore me to life again. 

You bring me back from the depths of the earth. 

²¹You comfort me and make me greater than ever. 

²²Because of your faithfulness, O my God, 

even I will give thanks to you as I play on a lyre. 

I will make music with a harp to praise you, O Holy One of Israel. 

²³My lips will sing with joy when I make music to praise you. 

My soul, which you have rescued, also will sing joyfully. 

²⁴My tongue will tell about your righteousness all day long, 

because those who wanted my downfall 

have been disgraced and put to shame.