THE BOOK OF PSALMS

 

Psalms 71-72

1 ¶ I put my trust in you, O LORD: let me never be put to shame.

2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be a rock of refuge for me, to which I can always go: you have issued the order to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the cruel and unrighteous man.

5 For you are my hope, O Lord GOD: I have relied on you from my youth.

6 I have leaned on you from birth: you are the one who took me out of my mother’s womb: my praise will continually be of you.

7 To many I am a wonder; but you are my strong refuge.

8 Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your glory all day long.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies speak against me; and those who watch to take my life consult with each other,

11 Saying, God has forsaken him: chase him and catch him; for there is no one to rescue him.

12 O God, do not be far from me: O my God, come quickly to help me.

13 May those who accuse me come to a shameful end; let those who seek to harm me be covered with disgrace and humiliation.

14 ¶ But I will always have hope, and will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell of your acts of righteousness and your deeds of deliverance all day long; although they are more than I can number.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, you have taught me from my youth: and I continue to proclaim your wondrous works.

18 Now also when I am old and gray-headed, do not depart from me, O God; until I have proclaimed your power to this generation, and your strength to every one who is to come.

19 That your righteousness reaches to heaven, O God, who has done great things: O God, who is like to you!

20 Though you caused me to experience many miseries and misfortunes, you will restore me to life, and will bring me back up from the depths of the earth.

21 You will increase my honor, and comfort me again.

22 Therefore I will praise you with the lute, for being faithful, O my God: I will sing to you with the harp, O you Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will greatly rejoice when I sing to you; and my soul, which you have redeemed.

24 My tongue will also proclaim your righteousness all the day long: for those who seek to harm me will be disgraced and confounded.

 

Psalm 72

A Psalm for Solomon.

1 ¶ Give the king your justice, O God, and the king’s son your righteousness.

2 ¶ He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

3 The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the hills righteousness.

4 He will give justice to the people who suffer, he will save the children of the poor, and will break in pieces the oppressor.

5 They will fear you as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

6 He will come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

7 In his days the righteous will flourish; and peace will abound until the moon is no more.

8 He will also have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before him; and his enemies will lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the lands by the sea will pay tribute: the kings of Sheba and Seba will bring gifts.

11 Yea, all kings will fall down before him: all nations will serve him.

12 For he will deliver the poor and needy who cry out; and the oppressed who have no one to help them.

13 He will have pity on the weak and the poor, and will save the souls of the needy.

14 He will redeem them from oppression, fraud and violence: and their blood will be precious in his sight.

15 May he live! And may the gold of Sheba be given to him: let prayer be made for him continually; and let him be praised all day long.

16 There will be an abundance of grain in the ground on the tops of the mountains; its ears will wave like the forests of Lebanon: and the inhabitants of the city will flourish like the grass of the earth.

17 His name will continue forever: may his name increase as long as the sun shines: and may all nations be blessed by him, and call him blessed.

18 ¶ Blessed is the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

19 May his glorious name be blessed for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.