Font Size
Psalm 71
Good News Translation
Psalm 71
Good News Translation
The Prayer of an Elderly Person
71 Lord, I have come to you for protection;
never let me be defeated!
2 Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me.
Listen to me and save me!
3 Be my secure shelter
and a strong fortress[a] to protect me;
you are my refuge and defense.
4 My God, rescue me from wicked people,
from the power of cruel and evil people.
5 Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you;
I have trusted in you since I was young.
6 I have relied on you all my life;
you have protected[b] me since the day I was born.
I will always praise you.
7 My life has been an example to many,
because you have been my strong defender.
8 All day long I praise you
and proclaim your glory.
9 Do not reject me now that I am old;
do not abandon me now that I am feeble.
10 My enemies want to kill me;
they talk and plot against me.
11 They say, “God has abandoned him;
let's go after him and catch him;
there is no one to rescue him.”
12 Don't stay so far away, O God;
my God, hurry to my aid!
13 May those who attack me
be defeated and destroyed.
May those who try to hurt me
be shamed and disgraced.
14 I will always put my hope in you;
I will praise you more and more.
15 I will tell of your goodness;
all day long I will speak of your salvation,
though it is more than I can understand.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.
17 You have taught me ever since I was young,
and I still tell of your wonderful acts.
18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray,
do not abandon me, O God!
Be with me while I proclaim your power and might
to all generations to come.
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches the skies.
You have done great things;
there is no one like you.
20 You have sent troubles and suffering on me,
but you will restore my strength;
you will keep me from the grave.
21 You will make me greater than ever;
you will comfort me again.
22 I will indeed praise you with the harp;
I will praise your faithfulness, my God.
On my harp I will play hymns to you,
the Holy One of Israel.
23 I will shout for joy as I play for you;
with my whole being I will sing
because you have saved me.
24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long,
because those who tried to harm me
have been defeated and disgraced.
Footnotes
- Psalm 71:3 One ancient translation a strong fortress; Hebrew to go always you commanded.
- Psalm 71:6 Some ancient translations protected; Hebrew unclear.
Psalm 71
New International Version
Psalm 71
New International Version
Psalm 71(A)
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
let me never be put to shame.(C)
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear(D) to me and save me.
3 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)
4 Deliver(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(G)
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(H)
5 For you have been my hope,(I) Sovereign Lord,
my confidence(J) since my youth.
6 From birth(K) I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(L)
I will ever praise(M) you.
7 I have become a sign(N) to many;
you are my strong refuge.(O)
8 My mouth(P) is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor(Q) all day long.
9 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 71
New King James Version
Psalm 71
New King James Version
God the Rock of Salvation
71 In (A)You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be put to shame.
2 (B)Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
(C)Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
3 (D)Be my [a]strong refuge,
To which I may resort continually;
You have given the (E)commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.
4 (F)Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,
Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5 For You are (G)my hope, O Lord God;
You are my trust from my youth.
6 (H)By You I have been [b]upheld from birth;
You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.
My praise shall be continually of You.
7 (I)I have become as a wonder to many,
But You are my strong refuge.
8 Let (J)my mouth be filled with Your praise
And with Your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
And those who lie in wait for my life (K)take counsel together,
11 Saying, “God has forsaken him;
Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
12 (L)O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, (M)make haste to help me!
13 Let them be [c]confounded and consumed
Who are adversaries of my life;
Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor
Who seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
17 O God, You have taught me from my (N)youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
18 Now also (O)when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.
19 Also (P)Your righteousness, O God, is [d]very high,
You who have done great things;
(Q)O God, who is like You?
20 (R)You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
(S)Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every side.
22 Also (T)with the lute I will praise You—
And Your faithfulness, O my God!
To You I will sing with the harp,
O (U)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
And (V)my soul, which You have redeemed.
24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;
For they are confounded,
For they are brought to shame
Who seek my hurt.
Footnotes
- Psalm 71:3 Lit. rock of refuge or rock of habitation
- Psalm 71:6 sustained from the womb
- Psalm 71:13 ashamed
- Psalm 71:19 great, lit. to the height of heaven
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.