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An Old Person’s Prayer

71 In you, Lord, ·is my protection [L I find refuge].
    Never let me be ashamed.
Because you ·do what is right [are righteous], ·save [protect] and rescue me;
    ·listen [L extend your ear] to me and ·save me [give me victory].
Be my ·place of safety [L rock of refuge]
    where I can always come.
Give the command to ·save me [give me victory],
    because you are my rock and my ·strong, walled city [fortress].
My God, ·save [rescue] me from the ·power [L hand] of the wicked
    and from the ·hold [grasp; L palm] of evil and cruel people.
Lord, you are my hope.
    Lord, I have ·trusted [had confidence in] you since I was young.
I have ·depended [L leaned] on you ·since I was born [L from the belly; C the womb];
    you ·helped me even on the day of my birth [brought me forth/cut off my umbilical cord from my mother’s innards].
I will always praise you.

I am an ·example [portent] to many people,
    because you are my strong ·protection [refuge].
·I am always praising you [L My mouth is filled with your praise];
    all day long I ·honor [glorify] you.
Do not ·reject me [cast me off] when I am old;
    do not ·leave [abandon; forsake] me when my strength is ·gone [exhausted].
10 My enemies ·make plans [speak] against me,
    and they ·meet [take counsel] together to kill me.
11 They say, “God has ·left [abandoned; forsaken] him.
    ·Go after [Pursue; Persecute] him and ·take [capture] him,
because no one will ·save [protect] him.”

12 God, don’t be far off.
    My God, hurry to help me.
13 Let those who accuse me
    be ashamed and ·destroyed [annihilated].
Let those who are ·trying [seeking] to hurt me
    be covered with shame and disgrace.
14 But I will always have hope
    and will praise you more and more.
15 ·I will tell how you do what is right [L My mouth will recount your righteousness].
    I will tell about your ·salvation [victory] all day long,
    even though ·it is more than I can tell [L I do not know the number].
16 I will come and tell about your powerful works, Lord God.
    I will remind people ·that only you do what is right [L that you alone are righteous].

17 God, you have taught me since I was young.
    To this day I tell ·about the miracles you do [of your wonderful works].
18 Even though I am old and gray,
    do not ·leave [abandon; forsake] me, God.
I will tell ·the children [L a generation, to all that come] about your ·power [L arm];
    I will tell of your might.

19 God, your ·justice [righteousness] reaches to the ·skies [L high heavens].
    You have done great things;
    God, there is no one like you.
20 You have ·given [L shown] me ·many troubles [much distress] and bad times,
    but you will give me life again.
·When I am almost dead [L From the depths of the earth],
    you ·will keep me alive [L again bring me up].
21 You will make me greater than ever,
    and you will comfort me again.

22 I will ·praise [thank] you with the harp.
    ·I trust you […for your faithfulness], my God.
I will ·sing to [make a psalm for] you with the lyre,
    Holy One of Israel.
23 ·I will [L My lips] shout for joy when I ·sing praises to [make a psalm for] you.
    You have ·saved [redeemed] me.
24 ·I [L My tongue] will tell about your ·justice [righteousness] all day long.
    And those who ·want [seek] to hurt me
will be ·ashamed [scorned and reproached] and disgraced.

Prayer of an Old Man for Rescue.

71 (A)In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be put to shame.
(B)In Your righteousness rescue me and save me;
(C)Extend Your ear to me and help me.
(D)Be to me a rock of (E)dwelling to which I may continually come;
You have given the (F)commandment to save me,
For You are (G)my rock and my fortress.
(H)Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
From the [a]grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,
For You are my (I)hope;
Lord [b]God, You are my (J)confidence from my youth.
I have (K)leaned on you since my birth;
You are He who (L)took me from my mother’s womb;
My (M)praise is continually [c]of You.

I have become a (N)marvel to many,
For You are (O)my strong refuge.
My (P)mouth is filled with Your praise
And with (Q)Your glory all day long.
Do not cast me away at the (R)time of my old age;
Do not abandon me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies have spoken [d]against me;
And those who (S)watch for my [e]life (T)have consulted together,
11 Saying, “(U)God has abandoned him;
Pursue and seize him, for there is (V)no one to save him.”

12 God, (W)do not be far from me;
My God, (X)hurry to my aid!
13 May those who are enemies of my soul be (Y)put to shame and consumed;
May they be (Z)covered with disgrace and dishonor, who (AA)seek [f]to injure me.
14 But as for me, I will (AB)wait continually,
And will [g](AC)praise You yet more and more.
15 My (AD)mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of (AE)Your salvation all day long;
For I (AF)do not know the art of writing.
16 I will come (AG)with the mighty deeds of the Lord [h]God;
I will (AH)make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17 God, You (AI)have taught me from my youth,
And I still (AJ)declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am (AK)old and gray, God, do not abandon me,
Until I (AL)declare Your [i]strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 [j]For Your (AM)righteousness, God, reaches to the [k]heavens,
You who have (AN)done great things;
God, (AO)who is like You?
20 You who have (AP)shown [l]me many troubles and distresses
Will (AQ)revive [m]me again,
And will bring [n]me up again (AR)from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my (AS)greatness
And turn to (AT)comfort me.

22 I will also praise You with [o](AU)a harp,
And Your [p]truth, my God;
I will sing praises to You with the (AV)lyre,
(AW)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will (AX)shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my (AY)soul, which You have redeemed.
24 My (AZ)tongue also will tell of Your righteousness all day long;
For they are (BA)put to shame, for they are humiliated who seek [q]my harm.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 71:4 Lit palm
  2. Psalm 71:5 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  3. Psalm 71:6 Lit in
  4. Psalm 71:10 Lit with reference to
  5. Psalm 71:10 Lit soul
  6. Psalm 71:13 Lit my injury
  7. Psalm 71:14 Lit add upon all Your praise
  8. Psalm 71:16 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  9. Psalm 71:18 Lit arm
  10. Psalm 71:19 Or And
  11. Psalm 71:19 Lit height
  12. Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
  13. Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
  14. Psalm 71:20 Another reading is us
  15. Psalm 71:22 Lit an instrument of a harp
  16. Psalm 71:22 Or faithfulness
  17. Psalm 71:24 Or to injure me