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A Prayer for God's Protection

I run to you, Lord,
for protection.
    Don't disappoint me.
You do what is right,
    so come to my rescue.
Listen to my prayer
    and keep me safe.
Be my mighty rock,[a] the place
where I can always run
    for protection.
Save me by your command!
You are my mighty rock
    and my fortress.

Come and save me, Lord God,
from vicious and cruel
    and brutal enemies!
I depend on you,
and I have trusted you
    since I was young.
I have relied on you[b]
    from the day I was born.
You brought me safely
through birth,
    and I always praise you.

Many people think of me
    as something evil.
But you are my mighty protector,
and I praise and honor you
    all day long.
Don't throw me aside
    when I am old;
don't desert me
    when my strength is gone.
10 My enemies are plotting
    because they want me dead.
11 They say, “Now we'll catch you!
God has deserted you,
    and no one can save you.”
12 Come closer, God!
    Please hurry and help.
13 Embarrass and destroy
    all who want me dead;
disgrace and confuse
    all who want to hurt me.
14 I will never give up hope
    or stop praising you.
15 All day long I will tell
the wonderful things you do
    to save your people.
But you have done much more
    than I could possibly know.
16 I will praise you, Lord God,
for your mighty deeds
    and your power to save.

17 You have taught me
    since I was a child,
and I never stop telling about
    your marvelous deeds.
18 Don't leave me when I am old
    and my hair turns gray.
Let me tell future generations
    about your mighty power.
19 Your deeds of kindness
are known in the heavens.
    No one is like you!

20 You made me suffer a lot,
    but you will bring me
back from this deep pit
    and give me new life.
21 You will make me truly great
    and take my sorrow away.

22 I will praise you, God,
the Holy One of Israel.
    You are faithful.
I will play the harp
    and sing your praises.
23 You have rescued me!
    I will celebrate and shout,
singing praises to you
    with all my heart.
24 All day long I will announce
    your power to save.
I will tell how you disgraced
and disappointed those
    who wanted to hurt me.

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Footnotes

  1. 71.3 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
  2. 71.6 I … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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)

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