Psalm 71

¹O Lord, I have come to you for protection;

don’t let me be disgraced.

²Save me and rescue me,

for you do what is right.

Turn your ear to listen to me,

and set me free.

³Be my rock of safety

where I can always hide.

Give the order to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,

from the clutches of cruel oppressors.

⁵O Lord, you alone are my hope.

I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.

⁶Yes, you have been with me from birth;

from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.

No wonder I am always praising you!

⁷My life is an example to many,

because you have been my strength and protection.

⁸That is why I can never stop praising you;

I declare your glory all day long.

⁹And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside.

Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing.

¹⁰For my enemies are whispering against me.

They are plotting together to kill me.

¹¹They say, “God has abandoned him.

Let’s go and get him,

for no one will help him now.”

¹²O God, don’t stay away.

My God, please hurry to help me.

¹³Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.

Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.

¹⁴But I will keep on hoping for your help;

I will praise you more and more.

¹⁵I will tell everyone about your righteousness.

All day long I will proclaim your saving power,

though I am not skilled with words.^a

¹⁶I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord.

I will tell everyone that you alone are just.

¹⁷O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood,

and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.

¹⁸Now that I am old and gray,

do not abandon me, O God.

Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,

your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

¹⁹Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.

You have done such wonderful things.

Who can compare with you, O God?

²⁰You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,

but you will restore me to life again

and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

²¹You will restore me to even greater honor

and comfort me once again.

²²Then I will praise you with music on the harp,

because you are faithful to your promises, O my God.

I will sing praises to you with a lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

²³I will shout for joy and sing your praises,

for you have ransomed me.

²⁴I will tell about your righteous deeds

all day long,

for everyone who tried to hurt me

has been shamed and humiliated.