Psaume 71

Do not leave me now I am old

¹LORD, I have made you my refuge; \q never let me be disgraced. ²Because you are just, rescue me and set me free; \q bend down to listen to me, and save me. ³Be a rock I can live in, a place I can always come to. \q You have given the order to save me, \q since you yourself are my crag and my stronghold. ⁴My God, pull me out of the clutches of the wicked, \q out of the grip of the unjust and the cruel. ⁵For you are my hope, \q Lord GOD; I have trusted in you since I was young. ⁶I have leaned on you from birth; \q it was you who drew me from my mother’s body. \q I will praise you without ceasing. ⁷To many I have become a sign that makes them wonder, \q but you are my strong shelter. ⁸My mouth is full of praise for you; \q all day long I speak of your glory. ⁹Do not throw me aside now that I am old; \q do not abandon me as my strength gives out. ¹⁰For my enemies are talking about me; \q those who are waiting to take my life are plotting together, ¹¹and they say, “God has abandoned him. \q Go after him and grab him, \q for no one will save him.” ¹²God, do not stay far away from me; \q my God, come quickly and help me! ¹³Let my accusers be put to shame and brought to nothing; \q let those who want to hurt me be wrapped in scorn and dishonor. ¹⁴As for me, I will never stop hoping; \q I will add to your praise again and again. ¹⁵My mouth will tell of your righteousness \q and of your saving help all day long, \q though they are more than I can count. ¹⁶I will come and tell of the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; \q I will call to mind your righteousness, yours and no one else’s. ¹⁷God, you have been teaching me since I was young, \q and I am telling of your wonders still. ¹⁸Now that I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, \q not until I have told the generation after me what your arm has done, \q and made your power known to all who are yet to be born. ¹⁹God, your righteousness rises as high as the heavens; \q you have done mighty things. \q God, who is there like you? ²⁰You have made me see many troubles and hard times, \q but you will bring me back to life, \q and raise me once more out of the deep places of the earth. ²¹Make me greater than before, \q and turn to comfort me once more. ²²I in turn will thank you to the music of the harp; my God, I will praise your faithfulness. \q With the lyre I will play for you, \q Holy One of Israel. ²³My lips will ring out with joy as I sing your praise, \q and so will my whole self, which you have set free. ²⁴All day long my tongue will speak of your righteousness, \q for the people who sought my hurt are ashamed and humbled.