Psalms 71

1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be ashamed.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge, let me never be put to shame.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me: bow down thine ear unto me, and save me.

In your faithfulness save me and rescue me, bend your ear to me and save me.

3 Be thou to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

Be to me a rock of defence, a fortified house, to save me; for my rock and my fortress are you.

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

Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth.

For you, Lord, are my hope, in whom from my youth I have trusted.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

On you have I leaned from my birth; from my mother’s womb it was you who did draw me. In you is my hope evermore.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

I have been as a wonder to many, for you are my refuge and strength.

8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, and with thy honour all the day.

All the day long my mouth is filled with your praise and your glory.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Cast me not off in the time of old age; when my strength is spent, forsake me not.

10 For mine enemies speak concerning me; and they that watch for my soul take counsel together,

For my foes whisper against me, they who watch me take counsel together;

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him; for there is none to deliver.

‘God has left him,’ they say: ‘pursue and seize him, for he is helpless.’

12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste to help me.

O God, be not far from me, haste, O my God, to my help.

13 Let them be ashamed [and] consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

Put my foes to shame and dishonour, with insult and shame be they covered.

14 But I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.

But I will never stop hoping, and more and yet more will I praise you.

15 My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, [and] of thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers [thereof].

All the day long shall my mouth tell your faithfulness and your salvation, though I know not how they may be counted.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

I will tell of the might of the Lord, and your faithfulness praise, you alone.

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

You have taught me, O God, from my youth, and till now have I told of your wonders.

18 Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have declared thy strength unto [the next] generation, thy might to every one that is to come.

Even in old age and grey hair, O God, do not forsake me. Still would I tell of your might unto all generations to come.

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee?

Your power and your justice, O God, extend as far as the heavens: for great are the things you have done. Who is like you, O God?

20 Thou, which hast shewed us many and sore troubles, shalt quicken us again, and shalt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

You have caused us to see troubles many, but you will revive us again. From the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

21 Increase thou my greatness, and turn again and comfort me.

You will multiply my greatness, and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, [even] thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

So with harp I will praise you, and your faithfulness, O my God; and make music to you on the lyre, O you Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing praises unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

My lips shall ring out their joy, my mouth shall sing praises to you; all of me, which you have redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are ashamed, for they are confounded, that seek my hurt.

Yes, all the day long shall my tongue utter your righteousness; for ashamed and confounded are they who were seeking my hurt.