Psalms 71

Do not cast me off in old age

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.a ²In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; incline Your ear and save me.b ³Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.c

⁴Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless. ⁵For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.d ⁶I have leaned on You since birth; You pulled me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always for You.e

⁷I have become a portent to many, but You are my strong refuge.f ⁸My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your splendor all day long.g ⁹Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.h

¹⁰For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire, ¹¹saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.” ¹²Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.

¹³May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace. ¹⁴But I will always hope and will praise You more and more. ¹⁵My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.i

¹⁶I will enter in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will proclaim Your righteousness—Yours alone. ¹⁷O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds. ¹⁸Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.j

¹⁹Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?k ²⁰Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.l ²¹You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

²²So I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to You with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. ²³When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed. ²⁴My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.