Psalm 71

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

1 *For ver. 1-3, see Ps. 31:1-3In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame!

2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline your ear to me, and save me!

3 Be to me a rock of *[Ps. 90:1;91:9;Deut. 33:27] refuge,

to which I may continually come;

you have *See Ps. 42:8given the command to save me,

for you are my *See Ps. 18:2rock and my fortress.

4 *Ps. 140:1,4Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my *Jer. 14:8;17:13;50:7;1 Tim. 1:1hope,

my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned *See Ps. 22:10from before my birth;

you are he who *Ps. 22:9took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as *Isa. 8:18;[1 Cor. 4:9]a portent to many,

but you are my strong refuge.

8 My *ver. 24mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all the day.

9 *ver. 18Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me;

those who *Ps. 56:6watch for my life *Ps. 83:5;[Ps. 41:7,8]consult together

11 and say, "God has forsaken him;

pursue and seize him,

for there is none to deliver him."

12 O God, be not *See Ps. 10:1far from me;

O my God, *Ps. 70:5;See Ps. 40:13make haste to help me!

13 May my accusers be *ver. 24;See Ps. 35:4,26put to shame and consumed;

*Ps. 109:29with scorn and disgrace may they be covered

who *ver. 24;Esth. 9:2;[Ps. 70:2]seek my hurt.

14 But I will *ver. 5hope continually

and will *ver. 22praise you yet more and more.

15 My *ver. 8, 24mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all the day,

for *See Ps. 40:5their number is past my knowledge.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;

I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 So even to *Isa. 46:4old age and gray hairs,

O God, *ver. 9do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come.

19 Your *Ps. 36:5righteousness, O God,

reaches the high heavens.

You who have done *Ps. 126:2;1 Sam. 12:24;Luke 1:49great things,

O God, *Ps. 35:10who is like you?

20 You who have *Ps. 60:3made me see many troubles and calamities

will *Ps. 80:18;85:6;119:25;138:7;143:11;Hos. 6:2revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

you will bring me up again.

21 You will increase my greatness

and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with *Ps. 33:2the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

O *Ps. 78:41;89:18;2 Kgs. 19:22;Isa. 60:9Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have *Ps. 34:22redeemed.

24 And my *[ver. 8, 15]; See Ps. 35:28tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,

for they have been *[ver. 13]put to shame and disappointed

who sought to do me hurt.