PSALM 71

1 In thee, O Lord, do I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame!

2 In thy righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline thy ear to me, and save me!

3 Be thou to me a rock of refuge,

a strong fortress,* to save me,

for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For thou, O Lord, art my hope,

my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon thee I have leaned from my birth;

thou art he who took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of thee.

7 I have been as a portent to many;

but thou art my strong refuge.

8 My mouth is filled with thy praise,

and with thy glory all the day.

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

forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me,

those who watch for my life consult together,

11 and say, “God has forsaken him;

pursue and seize him,

for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not far from me;

O my God, make haste to help me!

13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;

with scorn and disgrace may they be covered

who seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually,

and will praise thee yet more and more.

15 My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts,

of thy deeds of salvation all the day,

for their number is past my knowledge.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come,

I will praise thy righteousness, thine alone.

17 O God, from my youth thou hast taught me,

and I still proclaim thy wondrous deeds.

18 So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

till I proclaim thy might

to all the generations to come.q

Thy power 19 and thy righteousness, O God,

reach the high heavens.

Thou who hast done great things,

O God, who is like thee?

20 Thou who hast made me see many sore troubles

wilt revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

thou wilt bring me up again.

21 Thou wilt increase my honor,

and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise thee with the harp

for thy faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to thee with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to thee;

my soul also, which thou hast rescued.

24 And my tongue will talk of thy righteous help

all the day long,

for they have been put to shame and disgraced

who sought to do me hurt.