Psalm 71¹⁴

71:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
71:2 Vindicate me by rescuing me!¹
Listen to me!² Deliver me!³
71:3 Be my protector and refuge,⁴
a stronghold where I can be safe!⁵
For you are my high ridge⁶ and my stronghold.
71:4 My God, rescue me from the power⁷ of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
71:5 For you give me confidence,⁸ O sovereign Master,
O LORD, I have trusted in you since I was young.⁹
71:6 I have leaned upon you since birth,¹⁰
you pulled me¹¹ from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually.¹²
71:7 Many are appalled when they see me,¹³
but you are my secure shelter.
71:8 I praise you constantly,
and speak of your splendor all day long.¹⁴
71:9 Do not reject me in my old age!¹⁵
When my strength fails, do not abandon me!
71:10 For my enemies talk about me,
those waiting for a chance to kill me plot my demise.¹⁶
71:11 They say,¹⁷ “God has abandoned him.
Run and grab him, for there is no one who will rescue him!”
71:12 O God, do not remain far away from me!
My God, hurry and help me!¹⁸
71:13 May my accusers be humiliated and defeated!
May those who want to harm me¹⁹ be covered with scorn and disgrace!
71:14 As for me, I will wait continually,
and will continue to praise you.²⁰
71:15 I will tell about your justice,
and all day long proclaim your salvation,²¹
though I cannot fathom its full extent.²²
71:16 I will come and tell about²³ the mighty acts of the sovereign LORD.
I will proclaim your justice, yours alone.
71:17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,
and I am still declaring²⁴ your amazing deeds.
71:18 Even when I am old and gray,²⁵
O God, do not abandon me,
until I tell the next generation about your strength,
and those coming after me about your power.²⁶
71:19 Your justice, O God, extends to the skies above;²⁷
you have done great things.²⁸
O God, who can compare to you?²⁹
71:20 Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress,³⁰
revive me once again!³¹
Bring me up once again³² from the depths of the earth!
71:21 Raise me to a position of great honor!³³
Turn and comfort me!³⁴
71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument,
praising³⁵ your faithfulness, O my God!
I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp,
O sovereign king of Israel!³⁶
71:23 My lips will shout for joy! Yes,³⁷ I will sing your praises!
I will praise you when you rescue me!³⁸
71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice,
for those who want to harm me³⁹ will be embarrassed and ashamed.⁴⁰