Psalm 70-72

Common English Bible

Psalm 70

For the music leader. Of David. For the memorial offering.

70 Hurry, God, to deliver me;
    hurry, Lord, to help me!
²Let those who seek my life be ashamed and humiliated!
    Let them fall back and be disgraced—
        those people who delight in my downfall!
³Let those who say, “Aha! Aha!”
    stop because of their shameful behavior.
⁴But let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you,
    and let those who love your saving help say again and again:
        “God is great!”
⁵But me? I’m poor and needy.
    Hurry to me, God!
You are my helper and my deliverer.
    Oh, Lord, don’t delay!

Psalm 71

71 I’ve taken refuge in you, Lord.
    Don’t let me ever be put to shame!
²Deliver me and rescue me by your righteousness!
    Bend your ear toward me and save me!
³Be my rock of refuge
    where I can always escape.
You commanded that my life be saved
    because you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked;
    rescue me from the grip of the wrongdoer and the oppressor
⁵    because you are my hope, Lord.
    You, Lord, are the one I’ve trusted since childhood.
⁶I’ve depended on you from birth—
    you cut the cord when I came from my mother’s womb.
    My praise is always about you.
⁷I’ve become an example to many people
    because you are my strong refuge.
⁸My mouth is filled with your praise,
    glorifying you all day long.
⁹Don’t cast me off in old age.
    Don’t abandon me when my strength is used up!

¹⁰Yes, my enemies have been talking about me;
    those who stalk me plot together:
¹¹    “God has abandoned him!
    Pursue him!
    Grab him because no one will deliver him!”
¹²Don’t be far from me, God!
    My God, hurry to help me!
¹³Let my accusers be put to shame,
    completely finished off!
    Let those who seek my downfall
    be dressed in insults and disgrace!

¹⁴But me? I will hope. Always.
    I will add to all your praise.
¹⁵My mouth will repeat your righteous acts
    and your saving deeds all day long.
    I don’t even know how many of those there are!
¹⁶I will dwell on your mighty acts, my Lord.
    Lord, I will help others remember nothing but your righteous deeds.
¹⁷You’ve taught me since my youth, God,
    and I’m still proclaiming your wondrous deeds!
¹⁸So, even in my old age with gray hair,
    don’t abandon me, God!
    Not until I tell generations about your mighty arm,
        tell all who are yet to come about your strength,
¹⁹        and about your ultimate righteousness, God,
    because you’ve done awesome things!
Who can compare to you, God?
²⁰You, who have shown me many troubles and calamities,
    will revive me once more.^[a]
    From the depths of the earth,
    you will raise me up one more time.
²¹Please increase my honor
    and comfort me all around.
²²Then I’ll give you thanks with a harp—
    I will thank you for your faithfulness, my God.
        I will make music for you with the lyre, holy one of Israel.
²³My lips will rejoice aloud when I make music for you;
    my whole being,^[b] which you saved, will do the same.
²⁴My tongue, also, will tell of your righteousness all day long,
    because those who seek my downfall
    have been put to shame and disgraced.

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

72 God, give your judgments to the king.
    Give your righteousness to the king’s son.
²Let him judge your people with righteousness
    and your poor ones with justice.
³Let the mountains bring peace to the people;
    let the hills bring righteousness.
⁴Let the king bring justice to people who are poor;
    let him save the children of those who are needy,
        but let him crush oppressors!
⁵Let the king live^[c] as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon,
        generation to generation.
⁶Let him fall like rain upon fresh-cut grass,
    like showers that water the earth.
⁷Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives,
    and let peace prosper until the moon is no more.
⁸Let the king rule from sea to sea,
    from the river to the ends of the earth.
⁹Let the desert dwellers bow low before him;
    let his enemies lick the dust.
¹⁰Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute;
    let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts.
¹¹Let all the kings bow down before him;
    let all the nations serve him.

¹²Let it be so, because he delivers the needy who cry out,
    the poor, and those who have no helper.
¹³He has compassion on the weak and the needy;
    he saves the lives of those who are in need.
¹⁴He redeems their lives from oppression and violence;
    their blood is precious in his eyes.

¹⁵Let the king live long!
Let Sheba’s gold be given to him!
    Let him be prayed for always!
    Let him be blessed all day long!
¹⁶    Let there be abundant grain in the land.
    Let it wave on the mountaintops.
    Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon.
    Let it thrive like grass on the land.
¹⁷    Let the king’s name last forever.
    Let his name endure as long as the sun.
    Let all the nations be blessed through him and call him happy.

¹⁸Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel—
    the only one who does wondrous things!
¹⁹Bless God’s glorious name forever;
    let his glory fill all the earth!
        Amen and Amen!

²⁰The prayers of David, Jesse’s son, are ended.