Psalm 71

71:1–3pp—Ps 31:1–4

1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;n

let me never be put to shame.o

2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;

turn your earp to me and save me.

3 Be my rock of refuge,

to which I can always go;

give the command to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.q

4 Deliverr me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,s

from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.t

5 For you have been my hope,u Sovereign Lord,

my confidencev since my youth.

6 From birthw I have relied on you;

you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.x

I will ever praisey you.

7 I have become a signz to many;

you are my strong refuge.a

8 My mouthb is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendorc all day long.

9 Do not castd me away when I am old;e

do not forsakef me when my strength is gone.

10 For my enemiesg speak against me;

those who wait to killh me conspirei together.

11 They say, “God has forsakenj him;

pursue him and seize him,

for no one will rescuek him.”

12 Do not be farl from me, my God;

come quickly, God, to helpm me.

13 May my accusersn perish in shame;o

may those who want to harm me

be covered with scorn and disgrace.p

14 As for me, I will always have hope;q

I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tellr of your righteous deeds,s

of your saving acts all day long—

though I know not how to relate them all.

16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,t Sovereign Lord;

I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

17 Since my youth, God, you have taughtu me,

and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.v

18 Even when I am old and gray,w

do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your powerx to the next generation,

your mighty acts to all who are to come.y

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,z

you who have done great things.a

Who is like you, God?b

20 Though you have made me see troubles,c

many and bitter,

you will restored my life again;

from the depths of the earthe

you will again bring me up.

21 You will increase my honorf

and comfortg me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harph

for your faithfulness, my God;

I will sing praise to you with the lyre,i

Holy One of Israel.j

23 My lips will shout for joyk

when I sing praise to you—

I whom you have delivered.l

24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts

all day long,m

for those who wanted to harm men

have been put to shame and confusion.o

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

1 Endow the king with your justice,p O God,

the royal son with your righteousness.

2 May he judge your people in righteousness,q

your afflicted ones with justice.

3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,

the hills the fruit of righteousness.

4 May he defend the afflictedr among the people

and save the children of the needy;s

may he crush the oppressor.t

5 May he endurea u as long as the sun,

as long as the moon, through all generations.v

6 May he be like rainw falling on a mown field,

like showers watering the earth.

7 In his days may the righteous flourishx

and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

8 May he rule from sea to sea

and from the Riverb y to the ends of the earth.z

9 May the desert tribes bow before him

and his enemies lick the dust.

10 May the kings of Tarshisha and of distant shoresb

bring tribute to him.

May the kings of Shebac and Seba

present him gifts.d

11 May all kings bow downe to him

and all nations servef him.

12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,

the afflicted who have no one to help.

13 He will take pityg on the weak and the needy

and save the needy from death.

14 He will rescueh them from oppression and violence,

for preciousi is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live!

May gold from Shebaj be given him.

May people ever pray for him

and bless him all day long.k

16 May grainl abound throughout the land;

on the tops of the hills may it sway.

May the cropsm flourish like Lebanonn

and thrivec like the grass of the field.o

17 May his name endure forever;p

may it continue as long as the sun.q

Then all nations will be blessed through him,d

and they will call him blessed.r

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,s

who alone does marvelous deeds.t

19 Praise be to his glorious nameu forever;

may the whole earth be filled with his glory.v

Amen and Amen.w

20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.x

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89