Psalm 71

God’s Help in Old Age

¹Lord, I seek refuge in you;

let me never be disgraced. ^a

²In your justice, rescue and deliver me;

listen closely to me and save me. ^b

³Be 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

⁴Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive. ^d

⁵For you are my hope, Lord God,

my confidence from my youth. ^e

⁶I have leaned on you from birth;

you took me from my mother’s womb. ^f

My praise is always about you. ^g

⁷I am like a miraculous sign to many,

and you are my strong refuge. ^h

⁸My mouth is full of praise

and honor to you all day long. ⁱ

⁹Don’t discard me in my old age.

As my strength fails, do not abandon me. ^j

¹⁰For my enemies talk about me,

and those who spy on me plot together, ^k

¹¹saying, “God has abandoned him;

chase him and catch him,

for there is no one to rescue him.” ^l

¹²God, do not be far from me;

my God, hurry to help me. ^m

¹³May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed;

may those who intend to harm me

be covered with disgrace and humiliation. ⁿ

¹⁴But I will hope continually

and will praise you more and more. ^o

¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness

and your salvation all day long,

though I cannot sum them up. ^p

¹⁶I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God;

I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. ^q

¹⁷God, you have taught me from my youth,

and I still proclaim your wondrous works. ^r

¹⁸Even while I am old and gray,

God, do not abandon me, ^s

while I proclaim your power

to another generation,

your strength to all who are to come. ^t

¹⁹Your righteousness reaches the heights, God,

you who have done great things;

God, who is like you? ^u

²⁰You 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

²¹You will increase my honor

and comfort me once again. ^y

²²Therefore, 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

²³My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praise to you

because you have redeemed me. ^aa

²⁴Therefore, my tongue will proclaim

your righteousness all day long,

for those who intend to harm me

will be disgraced and confounded. ^ab