Psalm 71

A Prayer to God the Rock of Refuge

71In you, O Yahweh, I have taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

²In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline your ear to me and save me.

³Be for me a rock of refuge to resort to always;

you have ordained^a to save me,

because you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked,

from the grasp^b of the evildoer and the oppressor,

⁵because you are my hope,

O Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.

⁶Upon you I have leaned from birth.^c

It was you who took^d me from the womb of my mother.

My praise is of you continually.

⁷I have become a wonder to many,

but you are my strong refuge.

⁸My mouth is filled with your praise,

with your glory all the day.

⁹Do not cast me away in the time of old age;

when my strength fails do not abandon me.

¹⁰For my enemies talk concerning me,

and those who watch for my life conspire together,

¹¹saying, “His God has abandoned him.

Pursue and seize him, because there is no deliverer.”

¹²O God, do not be far from me.

My God, hurry to help me.

¹³Let them be ashamed; let them perish

who are my adversaries.^e

Let them wrap themselves with scorn and disgrace

who seek my harm.

¹⁴But as for me, I will hope continually

and increase your praise.

¹⁵My mouth will tell of your righteousness,

your salvation all day long,^f

though I do not know the full sum of them.

¹⁶I will come in to tell the mighty deeds of Lord Yahweh.

I will make known^g your righteousness, yours only.

¹⁷O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds.

¹⁸And even when I am old and gray,

O God, do not abandon me

until I proclaim your strength^h to this generation,

your power to every one that comes after.

¹⁹And your righteousness, O God, is to the height of heaven.

You who have done great things,

O God, who is like you?

²⁰You who have caused meⁱ to see many troubles and evils,

you will again revive me.^j

And from the depths of the earth

you will again bring me up.

²¹You will increase my greatness,

and you will comfort me all around.^k

²²On my part, I will praise you with a stringed instrument,

and your faithfulness, O my God.

I will sing praises to you with a lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

²³My lips will sing for joy when I sing praises to you,

and my soul, which you have redeemed.

²⁴My tongue also

will speak of your righteousness all the day,

because they have been put to shame, because they have been humiliated

who seek my harm.