Psalms 71

1 In you, LORD, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

Lord, you are the one who keeps me safe; please don't disappoint me.

2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

Save me, rescue me, because you always do what is right.

3 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.

Please listen to me, and save me. Be my rock of protection where I can always go and hide. You gave the command to save me; for you are my rock and fortress.

4 Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of those who are evil and brutal.

5 For you are my hope, Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.

For you, Lord God, are my hope. You are the one I have trusted since I was young.

6 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 have depended on you since birth; you have taken care of me from my mother's womb. That's why I'm always praising you!

7 I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

My life has been like a miracle to many people, for you have been my powerful protector.

8 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all day long.

All day long I am full of praise for you, telling how wonderful you are!

9 Do not reject me in my old age. Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

Don't reject me now I'm getting old. When my strength is gone, please don't abandon me.

10 For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

For my enemies are talking about me; those who want to kill me are plotting together.

11 saying, “God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”

They say, “God has given up on him. Let's go after him because there's no one to save him.”

12 God, do not be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

God, please don't stay away 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.

Defeat my accusers, get rid of them! May those who want to cause me trouble be covered with shame and disgrace!

14 But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.

As for me, I will go on hoping in you, and I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I do not know its full measure.

I will talk about your goodness and your salvation every day, even though it's more than I can understand.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord GOD. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

I will come and explain what the Lord has done. I will remind people that you alone do what is right.

17 God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

God, you have taught me since I was young, and I still tell others about all the wonderful things you do.

18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, do not forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

Even though I'm old and gray, please don't abandon me, God. Let me tell the new generation about your power. Let me explain to all who are to come the great things you do.

19 God, your righteousness also reaches to the heavens. You have done great things. God, who is like you?

God, your trustworthy and true nature is higher than the highest heaven! You have done incredible 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.

You had me face many troubles and plenty of misery, but you will bring me back to life; you will rise me up from the depths of the earth.

21 Increase my honor and comfort me again.

You will give me even greater prestige, and you will make me happy 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.

Then I will praise you on the harp for your trustworthiness, my God. I will sing praises to you on the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

I will shout for joy as I sing praises to you, for you have redeemed me.

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.

All day long I will tell about all the good things you have done, for those who tried to cause me misery have been disgraced and humiliated.