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A Prayer to God the Rock of Refuge

71 In you, O Yahweh, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
Be for me a rock of refuge to resort to always;
you have ordained[a] to save me,
because you are my rock and my fortress.
My God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp[b] of the evildoer and the oppressor,
because you are my hope,
O Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from birth.[c]
It was you who took[d] me from the womb of my mother.
My praise is of you continually.
I have become a wonder to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with your praise,
with your glory all the day.
Do not cast me away in the time of old age;
when my strength fails do not abandon me.
10 For my enemies talk concerning me,
and those who watch for my life conspire together,
11 saying, “His God has abandoned him.
Pursue and seize him, because there is no deliverer.”
12 O God, do not be far from me.
My God, hurry to help me.
13 Let them be ashamed; let them perish
who are my adversaries.[e]
Let them wrap themselves with scorn and disgrace
who seek my harm.
14 But as for me, I will hope continually
and increase your praise.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
your salvation all day long,[f]
though I do not know the full sum of them.
16 I will come in to tell the mighty deeds of Lord Yahweh.
I will make known[g] your righteousness, yours only.
17 O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and up to now I have proclaimed your wonderful deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not abandon me
until I proclaim your strength[h] to this generation,
your power to every one that comes after.
19 And your righteousness, O God, is to the height of heaven.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
20 You who have caused me[i] to see many troubles and evils,
you will again revive me.[j]
And from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my greatness,
and you will comfort me all around.[k]
22 On my part, I will praise you with a stringed instrument,
and your faithfulness, O my God.
I will sing praises to you with a lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will sing for joy when I sing praises to you,
and my soul, which you have redeemed.
24 My tongue also
will speak of your righteousness all the day,
because they have been put to shame, because they have been humiliated
who seek my harm.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 71:3 Or “commanded”
  2. Psalm 71:4 Literally “palm”
  3. Psalm 71:6 Literally “from the belly”
  4. Psalm 71:6 Literally “cut,” that is, the umbilical cord
  5. Psalm 71:13 Literally “adversaries of my soul”
  6. Psalm 71:15 Literally “all the day”
  7. Psalm 71:16 Literally “bring to remembrance”
  8. Psalm 71:18 Literally “arm”
  9. Psalm 71:20 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  10. Psalm 71:20 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  11. Psalm 71:21 A slightly different vocalization yields, “… comfort me again”; compare the LXX.

71 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge.
    Never let me be disappointed.
Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me.
    Turn your ear to me, and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go.
    Give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh,
    my confidence from my youth.
I have relied on you from the womb.
    You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb.
    I will always praise you.
I am a marvel to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
My mouth shall be filled with your praise,
    with your honor all day long.
Don’t reject me in my old age.
    Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies talk about me.
    Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
11     saying, “God has forsaken him.
    Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”
12 God, don’t be far from me.
    My God, hurry to help me.
13 Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed.
    Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.
14 But I will always hope,
    and will add to all of your praise.
15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness,
    and of your salvation all day,
    though I don’t know its full measure.
16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh.
    I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.
17 God, you have taught me from my youth.
    Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.
18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me,
    until I have declared your strength to the next generation,
    your might to everyone who is to come.
19 God, your righteousness also reaches to the heavens.
    You have done great things.
    God, who is like you?
20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles,
    you will let me live.
    You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
21 Increase my honor
    and comfort me again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God.
    I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips shall shout for joy!
    My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!
24 My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long,
    for they are disappointed, and they are confounded,
    who want to harm me.