Psalms 71

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

1LORD, I run to you to keep me safe. Please never let me be ashamed.

2Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

2You always do what is right, so rescue me. Listen to me and save me.

3Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

3Be my safe rock, where I can always go. Give the order to save me. You are my rock and my strong tower.

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

4My God, save me from people who do bad things. Save me from cruel and unfair men.

5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

5Lord GOD, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.

6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

6I have leaned on you since the day I was born. You brought me out of my mother. I will always praise you.

7I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

7Many people look at me and wonder. But you are my strong safe place.

Note"A wonder unto many" means people stared at him. His life made them wonder what God was doing.

8Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

8My mouth is full of praise for you. I speak of how great you are all day.

9Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

9Do not throw me away when I am old. Do not leave me when I get weak.

10For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

10My enemies talk against me. They watch and wait to catch me. They make plans together.

11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

11They say, "God has left him. Chase him and grab him. No one will save him now."

12O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

12God, do not stay far away from me. My God, hurry and help me.

13Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

13Let the people who accuse me be ashamed and finished. Let those who want to hurt me be covered with shame.

14But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

14But I will always keep hoping. I will praise you more and more.

15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

15I will tell all day how right and good you are. I will tell how you save people. There is more good than I can count.

16I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

16I will go out with the strength of the Lord GOD. I will talk about how right you are, and only you.

17O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

17God, you have taught me since I was young. To this day I tell about the wonderful things you do.

18Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

18Now I am old, and my hair is gray. God, do not leave me. Let me tell this group of people how strong you are. Let me tell everyone who comes after them.

19Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

19God, the right things you do reach up to the sky. You have done great things. God, who is like you?

20Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

20You have let me see many hard, painful troubles. But you will make me alive again. You will bring me back up, even from deep in the earth.

21Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

21You will make people honor me more. You will comfort me again.

22I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

22So I will praise you with a harp, my God, because you keep your promises. I will sing to you with music, Holy One of Israel.

NoteA psaltery was a small stringed instrument, a lot like a harp.

23My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

23My lips will shout for joy when I sing to you. I will be glad deep inside, because you bought me back.

24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

24My tongue will tell all day long how right and good you are. The people who wanted to hurt me are shamed and beaten.