PSALM 71: 1-5, 14-24
Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help
71
In thee, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
2
In thy righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline thy ear to me, and save me!
3
Be thou to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress, to save me,
for thou art my rock and my fortress.
4
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5
For thou, O Lord, art my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
14
But I will hope continually,
and will praise thee yet more and more.
15
My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts,
of thy deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
16
With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come,
I will praise thy righteousness, thine alone.
17
O God, from my youth thou hast taught me,
and I still proclaim thy wondrous deeds.
18
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
till I proclaim thy might
to all the generations to come.[a]
Thy power 19 and thy righteousness, O God,
reach the high heavens.
Thou who hast done great things,
O God, who is like thee?
20
Thou who hast made me see many sore troubles
wilt revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
thou wilt bring me up again.
21
Thou wilt increase my honor,
and comfort me again.
22
I will also praise thee with the harp
for thy faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to thee with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23
My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to thee;
my soul also, which thou hast rescued.
24
And my tongue will talk of thy righteous help
all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disgraced
who sought to do me hurt.