Psalm 71

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent 1In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
   let me never be put to shame! 2In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
   incline your ear to me, and save me! 3Be to me a rock of refuge,
   to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
   for you are my rock and my fortress.

4Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
   from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. 5For you, O Lord, are my hope,
   my trust, O LORD, from my youth. 6Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
   you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

7I have been as a portent to many,
   but you are my strong refuge. 8My mouth is filled with your praise,
   and with your glory all the day. 9Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
   forsake me not when my strength is spent. 10For my enemies speak concerning me;
   those who watch for my life consult together 11and say, "God has forsaken him;
   pursue and seize him,
   for there is none to deliver him."

12O God, be not far from me;
   O my God, make haste to help me! 13May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
   with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
   who seek my hurt. 14But I will hope continually
   and will praise you yet more and more. 15My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
   of your deeds of salvation all the day,
   for their number is past my knowledge. 16With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;
   I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17O God, from my youth you have taught me,
   and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 18So even to old age and gray hairs,
   O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
   your power to all those to come. 19Your righteousness, O God,
   reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
   O God, who is like you? 20You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
   will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
   you will bring me up again. 21You will increase my greatness
   and comfort me again.

22I will also praise you with the harp
   for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
   O Holy One of Israel. 23My lips will shout for joy,
   when I sing praises to you;
   my soul also, which you have redeemed. 24And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
   who sought to do me hurt.