Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

71 (A)In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of (B)refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have (C)given the command to save me,
    for you are my (D)rock and my fortress.

(E)Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my (F)hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned (G)from before my birth;
    you are he who (H)took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

I have been as (I)a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
My (J)mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
(K)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 (L)watch for my life (M)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 (N)far from me;
    O my God, (O)make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be (P)put to shame and consumed;
    (Q)with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who (R)seek my hurt.
14 But I will (S)hope continually
    and will (T)praise you yet more and more.
15 My (U)mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for (V)their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to (W)old age and gray hairs,
    O God, (X)do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
19 Your (Y)righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done (Z)great things,
    O God, (AA)who is like you?
20 You who have (AB)made me see many troubles and calamities
    will (AC)revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
    and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with (AD)the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O (AE)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have (AF)redeemed.
24 And my (AG)tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been (AH)put to shame and disappointed
    who sought to do me hurt.

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)

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 (A)Then Jesus went with them (B)to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him (C)Peter and (D)the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, (E)“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and (F)watch[a] with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face (G)and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let (H)this cup pass from me; (I)nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 (J)Watch and (K)pray that you (L)may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, (M)your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for (N)their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for (O)the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.[b] See, (P)the hour is at hand, and (Q)the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 (R)While he was still speaking, (S)Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, (T)Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, (U)“Friend, (V)do what you came to do.”[c] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his (W)sword and struck the servant[d] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For (X)all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 (Y)Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me (Z)more than twelve (AA)legions of angels? 54 (AB)But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day (AC)I sat in the temple (AD)teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But (AE)all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” (AF)Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:38 Or keep awake; also verses 40, 41
  2. Matthew 26:45 Or Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
  3. Matthew 26:50 Or Friend, why are you here?
  4. Matthew 26:51 Or bondservant

Gethsemane(A)

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee(B) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow(C) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”(D)

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup(E) be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”(F)

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me(G) for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.(H) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”(I)

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour(J) has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested(K)

47 While he was still speaking, Judas,(L) one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”(M) and kissed him.

50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”[a](N)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,(O) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.(P)

52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.(Q) 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?(R) 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled(S) that say it must happen in this way?”

55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,(T) and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”(U) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:50 Or “Why have you come, friend?”