Psalm 71–72

Psalm 71

71:1-3^pp — Ps 31:1–4

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;^a

let me never be put to shame.^b

In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;

turn your ear^c 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.^d

Deliver^e me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,^f

from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.^g

For you have been my hope,^h Sovereign Lord,

my confidenceⁱ since my youth.

From birth^j I have relied on you;

you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.^k

I will ever praise^l you.

I have become like a portent^m to many,

but you are my strong refuge.ⁿ

My mouth^o is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendor^p all day long.

Do not cast^q me away when I am old;^r

do not forsake^s me when my strength is gone.

For my enemies^t speak against me;

those who wait to kill^u me conspire^v together.

They say, “God has forsaken^w him;

pursue him and seize him,

for no one will rescue^x him.”

Do not be far^y from me, my God;

come quickly, God, to help^z me.

May my accusers^a perish in shame;^b

may those who want to harm me

be covered with scorn and disgrace.^c

As for me, I will always have hope;^d

I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell^e of your righteous deeds,^f

of your saving acts all day long—

though I know not how to relate them all.

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,^g Sovereign Lord;

I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Since my youth, God, you have taught^h me,

and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.ⁱ

Even when I am old and gray,^j

do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your power^k to the next generation,

your mighty acts to all who are to come.^l

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the skies,^m

you who have done great things.ⁿ

Who is like you, God?^o

Though you have made me see troubles,^p

many and bitter,

you will restore^q my life again;

from the depths of the earth^r

you will again bring me up.

You will increase my honor^s

and comfort^t me once more.

I will praise you with the harp^u

for your faithfulness, my God;

I will sing praise to you with the lyre,^v

Holy One of Israel.^w

My lips will shout for joy^x

when I sing praise to you—

I, whom you have redeemed.^y

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts

all day long,^z

for those who wanted to harm me^a

have been put to shame and confusion.^b

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice,^a O God,

the royal son with your righteousness.

May he judge your people in righteousness,^b

your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,

the hills the fruit of righteousness.

May he defend the afflicted^c among the people

and save the children of the needy;^d

may he crush the oppressor.^e

May he endure^f as long as the sun,

as long as the moon, through all generations.^g

May he be like rain^h falling on a mown field,

like showers watering the earth.

In his days may the righteous flourishⁱ

and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea

and from the River^j to the ends of the earth.^k

May the desert tribes bow before him

and his enemies lick the dust.

May the kings of Tarshish^l and of distant shores^m

bring tribute to him.

May the kings of Shebaⁿ and Seba

present him gifts.^o

May all kings bow down^p to him

and all nations serve^q him.

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,

the afflicted who have no one to help.

He will take pity^r on the weak and the needy

and save the needy from death.

He will rescue^s them from oppression and violence,

for precious^t is their blood in his sight.

Long may he live!

May gold from Sheba^u be given him.

May people ever pray for him

and bless him all day long.^v

May grain^w abound throughout the land;

on the tops of the hills may it sway.

May the crops^x flourish like Lebanon^y

and thrive like the grass of the field.^z

May his name endure forever;^a

may it continue as long as the sun.^b

Then all nations will be blessed through him,

and they will call him blessed.^c

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,^d

who alone does marvelous deeds.^e

Praise be to his glorious name^f forever;

may the whole earth be filled with his glory.^g

Amen and Amen.^h

This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.ⁱ