Psalm 71: For You Are My Hope O Lord God

"Lift up your eyes on high and see!

Who has created these?  He Who brings out their host

by number and calls them all by name; through the greatness

of His might and because He is strong in power,

not one is missing or lacks anything."

Isaiah 40:26

Starry night sky in Sedona, Arizona

PSALM 71

A Psalm of David

"In You, O Lord, do I put my trust and confidently take refuge;

let me never be put to shame or confusion!

Deliver me in Your righteousness and cause me to escape;

bow down Your ear to me and save me!

Be to me a rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a sheltering

stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have

appointed to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out

of the grasp of the unrighteous and ruthless man.

For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust from

my youth and the source of my confidence.

Upon You have I leaned and relied from birth;  You are He

Who took me from my mother's womb and You have been my

benefactor from that day. My praise is continually of You.

I am as a wonder and surprise to many, but You are my strong refuge.

My mouth shall be filled with Your praise and with Your honor all the day.

Cast me not off nor send me away in the time of old age;

 forsake me not when my strength is spent and my powers fail.

For my enemies talk against me; those who watch

 for my life consult together,

Saying, God has forsaken him; pursue and persecute

 and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

O God, be not far from me! O my God, make haste to help me!

Let them be put to shame and consumed who are 

adversaries to my life; let them be covered with reproach, 

scorn, dishonor, who seek and require my hurt.

But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.

My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of

salvation all the day,  for their number is more than I know.

I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God;

I will mention and praise Your righteousness, even Yours alone.

O God, You have taught me from my youth, and hitherto

 have I declared Your wondrous works.

Yes, even when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not,

but keep me alive until I have declared Your mighty strength to this

generation, and Your might and power to all that are to come.

Your righteousness also, O God, is very high reaching to the heavens,

You Who have done great things; O God, who is like You, or who is Your equal?

You Who have shown us all troubles great and sore will quicken us again

and will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

Increase my greatness, my honor, and turn and comfort me.

I will praise You with the harp, even Your truth and faithfulness,

O my God; unto You will I sing praises with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises to You, 

and my inner being, which You have redeemed.

My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;

for they are put to shame, for they are confounded, 

who seek and demand my hurt.