PSALM 71 [†]  i In 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  j refuge,

to which I may continually come;

you have  k given the command to save me,

for you are my  l rock and my fortress.

4[†]  m Rescue 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  n hope,

my trust, O LORD, from my youth.

6[^] Upon you I have leaned  o from before my birth;

you are he who  p took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as  q a portent to many,

but you are my strong refuge.

8 My  r mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all the day.

9  s Do 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  t watch for my life  u 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  v far from me;

O my God,  w make haste to help me!

13 May my accusers be  x put to shame and consumed;

 y with scorn and disgrace may they be covered

who  z seek my hurt.

14[^] But I will  a hope continually

and will  b praise you yet more and more.

15 My  c mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all the day,

for  d their 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  e old age and gray hairs,

O God,  f do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come.

19 Your  g righteousness, O God,

reaches the high heavens.

You who have done  h great things,

O God,  i who is like you?

20 You who have  j made me see many troubles and calamities

will  k revive 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  l the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

O  m Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy,

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have  n redeemed.

24 And my  o tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,

for they have been  p put to shame and disappointed

who sought to do me hurt.

Of  q Solomon.