Psalms 71
71
1-3I run for dear life to God,
I’ll never live to regret it.
Do what you do so well:
get me out of this mess and up on my feet.
Put your ear to the ground and listen,
give me space for salvation.
Be a guest room where I can retreat;
you said your door was always open!
You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.
4-7My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
You keep me going when times are tough—
my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth,
the day you took me from the cradle;
I’ll never run out of praise.
Many gasp in alarm when they see me,
but you take me in stride.
8-11Just as each day brims with your beauty,
my mouth brims with praise.
But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old
or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.
My enemies are talking behind my back,
watching for their chance to knife me.
The gossip is: “God has abandoned him.
Pounce on him now; no one will help him.”
12-16God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.
Come on! Run to my side!
My accusers—make them lose face.
Those out to get me—make them look
Like idiots, while I stretch out, reaching for you,
and daily add praise to praise.
I’ll write the book on your righteousness,
talk up your salvation all the day long,
never run out of good things to write or say.
I come in the power of the Lord God,
I post signs marking his right-of-way.
17-24You got me when I was an unformed youth,
God, and taught me everything I know.
Now I’m telling the world your wonders;
I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.
God, don’t walk off and leave me
until I get out the news
Of your strong right arm to this world,
news of your power to the world yet to come,
Your famous and righteous
ways, O God.
God, you’ve done it all!
Who is quite like you?
You, who made me stare trouble in the face,
Turn me around;
Now let me look life in the face.
I’ve been to the bottom;
Bring me up, streaming with honors;
turn to me, be tender to me,
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you
to the tune of your faithfulness, God.
I’ll make music for you on a harp,
Holy One of Israel.
When I open up in song to you,
I let out lungsful of praise,
my rescued life a song.
All day long I’m chanting
about you and your righteous ways,
While those who tried to do me in
slink off looking ashamed.
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Psalms 71: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Psalms 71
71
PSALM 71
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
1O Lord, my hope and confidence
is plac'd in thee alone;
Then let thy servant never be
put to confusion.
2And let me, in thy righteousness,
from thee deliv'rance have;
Cause me escape, incline thine ear unto me,
and me save.
3Be thou my dwelling-rock, to which
I ever may resort:
Thou gav'st commandment me to save,
for thou'rt my rock and fort.
4Free me, my God, from wicked hands,
hands cruel and unjust:
5For thou, O Lord God, art my hope,
and from my youth my trust.
6Thou from the womb didst hold me up;
thou art the same that me
Out of my mother's bowels took;
I ever will praise thee.
7To many I a wonder am;
but thou'rt my refuge strong.
8Fill'd let my mouth be with thy praise
and honour all day long.
9O do not cast me off, when as
old age doth overtake me;
And when my strength decayed is,
then do not thou forsake me.
10For those that are mine enemies
against me speak with hate;
And they together counsel take
that for my soul lay wait.
11They said, God leaves him; him pursue
and take: none will him save.
12Be thou not far from me, my God:
thy speedy help I crave.
13Confound, consume them, that unto
my soul are enemies:
Cloth'd be they with reproach and shame
that do my hurt devise.
14But I with expectation
will hope continually;
And yet with praises more and more
I will thee magnify.
15Thy justice and salvation
my mouth abroad shall show,
Ev'n all the day; for I thereof
the numbers do not know.
16And I will constantly go on
in strength of God the Lord;
And thine own righteousness, ev'n thine
alone, I will record.
17For even from my youth, O God,
by thee I have been taught;
And hitherto I have declar'd
the wonders thou hast wrought.
18And now, Lord, leave me not, when I
old and gray-headed grow:
Till to this age thy strength and pow'r
to all to come I show.
19And thy most perfect righteousness
O Lord, is very high,
Who hast so great things done: O God,
who is like unto thee?
20Thou, Lord, who great adversities,
and sore, to me didst show,
Shalt quicken, and bring me again
from depths of earth below.
21My greatness and my pow'r thou wilt
increase, and far extend:
On ev'ry side against all grief
thou wilt me comfort send.
22Thee, ev'n thy truth, I'll also praise,
my God, with psaltery:
Thou Holy One of Israel,
with harp I'll sing to thee.
23My lips shall much rejoice in thee,
when I thy praises sound;
My soul, which thou redeemed hast,
in joy shall much abound.
24My tongue thy justice shall proclaim,
continuing all day long;
For they confounded are, and sham'd,
that seek to do me wrong.
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