Psalm 70[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

Hasten, O God, to save me;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.(B)

May those who want to take my life(C)
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.(D)
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(E)
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you(F)
    rejoice and be glad(G) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”(H)

But as for me, I am poor and needy;(I)
    come quickly to me,(J) O God.
You are my help(K) and my deliverer;(L)
    Lord, do not delay.(M)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.

Psalm 71(A)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
    let me never be put to shame.(C)
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear(D) 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.(E)
Deliver(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(G)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(H)

For you have been my hope,(I) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence(J) since my youth.
From birth(K) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(L)
    I will ever praise(M) you.
I have become a sign(N) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.(O)
My mouth(P) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor(Q) all day long.

Do not cast(R) me away when I am old;(S)
    do not forsake(T) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(U) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill(V) me conspire(W) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(X) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue(Y) him.”
12 Do not be far(Z) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help(AA) me.
13 May my accusers(AB) perish in shame;(AC)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(AD)

14 As for me, I will always have hope;(AE)
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell(AF) of your righteous deeds,(AG)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(AH) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(AI) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(AJ)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(AK)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(AL) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(AM)

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(AN)
    you who have done great things.(AO)
    Who is like you, God?(AP)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(AQ)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore(AR) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(AS)
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(AT)
    and comfort(AU) me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp(AV)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(AW)
    Holy One of Israel.(AX)
23 My lips will shout for joy(AY)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.(AZ)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,(BA)
for those who wanted to harm me(BB)
    have been put to shame and confusion.(BC)

Psalm 74

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected(A) us forever?(B)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(C)
Remember the nation you purchased(D) long ago,(E)
    the people of your inheritance,(F) whom you redeemed(G)
    Mount Zion,(H) where you dwelt.(I)
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(J)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared(K) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards(L) as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.(M)
They smashed all the carved(N) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled(O) the dwelling place(P) of your Name.(Q)
They said in their hearts, “We will crush(R) them completely!”
    They burned(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

We are given no signs from God;(T)
    no prophets(U) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(V) will the enemy mock(W) you, God?
    Will the foe revile(X) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(Y)
    Take it from the folds of your garment(Z) and destroy them!

12 But God is my King(AA) from long ago;
    he brings salvation(AB) on the earth.

13 It was you who split open the sea(AC) by your power;
    you broke the heads of the monster(AD) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(AE)
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs(AG) and streams;
    you dried up(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(AJ) of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter.(AK)

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
    how foolish people(AL) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(AM) to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted(AN) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(AO)
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places(AP) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
    may the poor and needy(AR) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
    remember how fools(AT) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(AU) of your adversaries,(AV)
    the uproar(AW) of your enemies,(AX) which rises continually.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

Bible Gateway Recommends