Psalms  ◦   Chapter 71

1O Lord, I trust you completely;
take away all my shame.

2Recreate me and restore me to your perfect and righteous design;
hear me and save me from fear and selfishness.

3Be my remedy and my recovery room
to which I can always go;
give the command to heal me,
for you are my remedy and my refuge.

4Set me free, O God, from fear and selfishness,
from the clutches of evil and cruelty.

5For you, O Creator God, are my only hope,
the source of my confidence since my youth.

6I have relied on you since birth;
you have provided for me since the day I was born.
I live in continual praise to you.

7To many, my life is evidence of your saving power,
because upon you I have relied for healing and restoration.

8Praise for you constantly pours from my mouth;
I proclaim the beauty of your character of love all day long.

9Do not force me to retire when I am old;
do not release me from your service when my strength is gone.

10My enemies misrepresent me;
they conspire together, watching for an opportunity to destroy me.

11They say, "God has abandoned him;
take him down now,
for no one will rescue him."

12O God, don’t stay away a moment longer than necessary;
come quickly to help me, O my God.

13My accusers will be consumed with shame;
those who want to destroy me
will drown in their humiliation and disgrace.

14But I will continually trust you
and praise you with ever greater affection and regard.

15I will tell of your right and holy character and methods of love;
all day long I will speak of your remedy to fear and selfishness,
even though the magnitude of your achievement is beyond my comprehension.

16I will go empowered by you, O Creator God;
I will promote your character and methods of love, and only yours!

17O Creator God, you have taught me of your kingdom of love since my childhood, and to this day I proclaim how wonderful you are!

18And even when I am old and gray,
do not release me from your service, O God;
empower me to proclaim your kingdom of love to the next generation —
the power of your healing remedy to those who come after me.

19Your right and perfect character of love, O God, is the praise of heaven;
you have done great things
and there is none like you!

20You have shown me the selfishness within me — the source of my pain and sorrow;
you bring to me your life-giving remedy,
and from the grave
you will raise me to everlasting life.

21You make me greater, healthier, holier and happier than ever before
and surround me with your comforting presence.

22I will praise you with song
for your never-changing love and goodness, O my God;
my life will be a song of praise to you,
O Holy One, in whom Israel trusted.

23I will shout for joy
and sing your praises,
for you have healed me!

24I will tell of your perfect character of love
for all eternity,
for those who sought to destroy me
reap only shame and humiliation.