Psalm 71

God’s Help in Old Age

Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.(A)
In Your justice, rescue and deliver me;
listen closely to me and save me.(B)
Be a rock of refuge for me,
where I can always go.
Give the command to save me,
for You are my rock and fortress.(C)
Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive.(D)
For You are my hope, Lord God,
my confidence from my youth.(E)
I have leaned on You from birth;
You took me from my mother’s womb.(F)
My praise is always about You.(G)
I have become an ominous sign to many,
but You are my strong refuge.(H)
My mouth is full of praise
and honor to You all day long.(I)

Don’t discard me in my old age;
as my strength fails, do not abandon me.(J)
10 For my enemies talk about me,
and those who spy on me plot together,(K)
11 saying, “God has abandoned him;
chase him and catch him,
for there is no one to rescue him.”(L)
12 God, do not be far from me;
my God, hurry to help me.(M)
13 May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed;
may those who seek my harm
be covered with disgrace and humiliation.(N)
14 But I will hope continually
and will praise You more and more.(O)
15 My mouth will tell about Your righteousness
and Your salvation all day long,
though I cannot sum them up.(P)
16 I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God;
I will proclaim Your righteousness, Yours alone.(Q)

17 God, You have taught me from my youth,
and I still proclaim Your wonderful works.(R)
18 Even when I am old and gray,
God, do not abandon me.(S)
Then I will[a] proclaim Your power
to another generation,
Your strength to all who are to come.(T)
19 Your righteousness reaches heaven, God,
You who have done great things;
God, who is like You?(U)
20 You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes,(V)
but You will revive me again.(W)
You will bring me up again,
even from the depths of the earth.(X)
21 You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.(Y)
22 Therefore, I will praise You with a harp
for Your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing to You with a lyre,
Holy One of Israel.(Z)
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to You
because You have redeemed me.(AA)
24 Therefore, my tongue will proclaim
Your righteousness all day long,
for those who seek my harm
will be disgraced and confounded.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 71:18 Lit me until I

Psalm 71

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

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

10 Yes, 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!”
12 Don’t be far from me, God!
    My God, hurry to help me!
13 Let my accusers be put to shame,
    completely finished off!
    Let those who seek my downfall
    be dressed in insults and disgrace!

14 But me? I will hope. Always.
    I will add to all your praise.
15 My mouth will repeat your righteous acts
    and your saving deeds all day long.
    I don’t even know how many of those there are!
16 I will dwell on your mighty acts, my Lord.
    Lord, I will help others remember nothing but your righteous deeds.
17 You’ve taught me since my youth, God,
    and I’m still proclaiming your wondrous deeds!
18 So, 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?
20 You, 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.
21 Please increase my honor
    and comfort me all around.
22 Then 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.
23 My lips will rejoice aloud when I make music for you;
    my whole being,[b] which you saved, will do the same.
24 My tongue, also, will tell of your righteousness all day long,
    because those who seek my downfall
    have been put to shame and disgraced.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 71:20 Qere; Kethib who have shown us … will revive us
  2. Psalm 71:23 Or soul