Psalm 71

1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection;

don’t let me be disgraced.

2 Save me and rescue me,

for you do what is right.

Turn your ear to listen to me,

and set me free.

3 Be my rock of safety

where I can always hide.

Give the order to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,

from the clutches of cruel oppressors.

5 O Lord, you alone are my hope.

I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.

6 Yes, you have been with me from birth;

from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.

No wonder I am always praising you!

7 My life is an example to many,

because you have been my strength and protection.

8 That is why I can never stop praising you;

I declare your glory all day long.

9 And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside.

Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing.

10 For my enemies are whispering against me.

They are plotting together to kill me.

11 They say, “God has abandoned him.

Let’s go and get him,

for no one will help him now.”

12 O God, don’t stay away.

My God, please hurry to help me.

13 Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.

Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.

14 But I will keep on hoping for your help;

I will praise you more and more.

15 I will tell everyone about your righteousness.

All day long I will proclaim your saving power,

though I am not skilled with words.*

16 I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord.

I will tell everyone that you alone are just.

17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood,

and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.

18 Now that I am old and gray,

do not abandon me, O God.

Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,

your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.

You have done such wonderful things.

Who can compare with you, O God?

20 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,

but you will restore me to life again

and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

21 You will restore me to even greater honor

and comfort me once again.

22 Then I will praise you with music on the harp,

because you are faithful to your promises, O my God.

I will sing praises to you with a lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

23 I will shout for joy and sing your praises,

for you have ransomed me.

24 I will tell about your righteous deeds

all day long,

for everyone who tried to hurt me

has been shamed and humiliated.

Psalm 72

A psalm of Solomon.

1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God,

and righteousness to the king’s son.

2 Help him judge your people in the right way;

let the poor always be treated fairly.

3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all,

and may the hills be fruitful.

4 Help him to defend the poor,

to rescue the children of the needy,

and to crush their oppressors.

5 May they fear you* as long as the sun shines,

as long as the moon remains in the sky.

Yes, forever!

6 May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass,

like the showers that water the earth.

7 May all the godly flourish during his reign.

May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.

8 May he reign from sea to sea,

and from the Euphrates River* to the ends of the earth.

9 Desert nomads will bow before him;

his enemies will fall before him in the dust.

10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands

will bring him tribute.

The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba

will bring him gifts.

11 All kings will bow before him,

and all nations will serve him.

12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him;

he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.

13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy,

and he will rescue them.

14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,

for their lives are precious to him.

15 Long live the king!

May the gold of Sheba be given to him.

May the people always pray for him

and bless him all day long.

16 May there be abundant grain throughout the land,

flourishing even on the hilltops.

May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon,

and may the people thrive like grass in a field.

17 May the king’s name endure forever;

may it continue as long as the sun shines.

May all nations be blessed through him

and bring him praise.

18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel,

who alone does such wonderful things.

19 Praise his glorious name forever!

Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and amen!

20 (This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)

Book Three (Psalms 73–89)