Psalm 71

God’s Help in Old Age

1 Lord, I seek refuge in You;

let me never be disgraced. n

2 In Your justice, rescue and deliver me;

listen closely to me and save me. o

3 Be a rock of refuge for me,

where I can always go.

Give the command to save me,

for You are my rock and fortress. p

4 Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive. q

5 For You are my hope, Lord God,

my confidence from my youth. r

6 I have leaned on You from birth;

You took me from my mother’s womb. s

My praise is always about You. t

7 I have become an ominous sign to many,

but You are my strong refuge. u

8 My mouth is full of praise

and honor to You all day long. v

9 Don’t discard me in my old age;

as my strength fails, do not abandon me. w

10 For my enemies talk about me,

and those who spy on me plot together, x

11 saying, “God has abandoned him;

chase him and catch him,

for there is no one to rescue him.” y

12 God, do not be far from me;

my God, hurry to help me. z

13 May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed;

may those who seek my harm

be covered with disgrace and humiliation. a

14 But I will hope continually

and will praise You more and more. b

15 My mouth will tell about Your righteousness

and Your salvation all day long,

though I cannot sum them up. c

16 I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God;

I will proclaim Your righteousness, Yours alone. d

17 God, You have taught me from my youth,

and I still proclaim Your wonderful works. e

18 Even when I am old and gray,

God, do not abandon me. f

Then I will g proclaim Your power

to another generation,

Your strength to all who are to come. h

19 Your righteousness reaches heaven, God,

You who have done great things;

God, who is like You? i

20 You caused me to experience

many troubles and misfortunes, j

but You will revive me again. k

You will bring me up again,

even from the depths of the earth. l

21 You will increase my honor

and comfort me once again. m

22 Therefore, I will praise You with a harp

for Your faithfulness, my God;

I will sing to You with a lyre,

Holy One of Israel. n

23 My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praise to You

because You have redeemed me. o

24 Therefore, my tongue will proclaim

Your righteousness all day long,

for those who seek my harm

will be disgraced and confounded. p