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Psalm 71-73
GOD’S WORD Translation
Psalm 71-73
GOD’S WORD Translation
71 I have taken refuge in you, O Lord.
Never let me be put to shame.
2 Rescue me and free me because of your righteousness.
Turn your ear toward me, and save me.
3 Be a rock on which I may live,
a place where I may always go.
You gave the order to save me!
Indeed, you are my rock and my fortress.
4 My God, free me from the hands of a wicked person,
from the grasp of one who is cruel and unjust.
5 You are my hope, O Almighty Lord.
You have been my confidence ever since I was young.
6 I depended on you before I was born.
You took me from my mother’s womb.
My songs of praise constantly speak about you.
7 I have become an example to many people,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
with your glory all day long.
9 Do not reject me when I am old
or abandon me when I lose my strength.
10 My enemies talk about me.
They watch me as they plot to take my life.
11 They say, “God has abandoned him.
Pursue him and grab him because there is no one to rescue him.”
12 O God, do not be so distant from me.
O my God, come quickly to help me.
13 Let those who accuse me come to a shameful end.
Let those who want my downfall be covered
with disgrace and humiliation.
14 But I will always have hope.
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness,
about your salvation all day long.
Even then, it is more than I can understand.
16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Almighty Lord.
I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, you have taught me ever since I was young,
and I still talk about the miracles you have done.
18 Even when I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God.
Let me live to tell the people of this age
what your strength has accomplished,
to tell about your power to all who will come.
19 Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God.
You have done great things.
O God, who is like you?
20 You have made me endure many terrible troubles.
You restore me to life again.
You bring me back from the depths of the earth.
21 You comfort me and make me greater than ever.
22 Because of your faithfulness, O my God,
even I will give thanks to you as I play on a lyre.
I will make music with a harp to praise you, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will sing with joy when I make music to praise you.
My soul, which you have rescued, also will sing joyfully.
24 My tongue will tell about your righteousness all day long,
because those who wanted my downfall
have been disgraced and put to shame.
By Solomon.
72 O God, give the king your justice
and the king’s son [a] your righteousness
2 so that he may judge your people with righteousness
and your oppressed ⌞people⌟ with justice.
3 May the mountains bring peace to the people
and the hills bring righteousness.
4 May he grant justice to the people who are oppressed.
May he save the children of needy people
and crush their oppressor.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun and moon ⌞shine⌟—
throughout every generation.
6 May he be like rain that falls on ⌞freshly⌟ cut grass,
like showers that water the land.
7 May righteous people blossom in his day.
May there be unlimited peace until the moon no longer ⌞shines⌟.
8 May he rule from sea to sea,
from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
9 May the people of the desert kneel in front of him.
May his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings from Tarshish and the islands bring presents.
May the kings from Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
11 May all kings worship him.
May all nations serve him.
12 He will rescue the needy person who cries for help
and the oppressed person who has no one’s help.
13 He will have pity on the poor and needy
and will save the lives of the needy.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence.
Their blood will be precious in his sight.
15 May he live long.
May the gold from Sheba be given to him.
May ⌞the people⌟ pray for him continually.
May ⌞they⌟ praise him all day long.
16 May there be plenty of grain in the land.
May it wave ⌞in the breeze⌟ on the mountaintops,
its fruit like ⌞the treetops of⌟ Lebanon.
May those from the city flourish like the grass on the ground.
17 May his name endure forever.
May his name continue as long as the sun ⌞shines⌟.
May all nations be blessed through him and call him blessed.
18 Thank the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does miracles.
19 Thanks be to his glorious name forever.
May the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and amen!
20 The prayers by David, son of Jesse, end here.
BOOK THREE
(Psalms 73–89)
A psalm by Asaph.
73 God is truly good to Israel,
to those whose lives are pure.
2 But my feet had almost stumbled.
They had almost slipped
3 because I was envious of arrogant people
when I saw the prosperity that wicked people enjoy.
4 They suffer no pain.
Their bodies are healthy.
5 They have no drudgery in their lives like ordinary people.
They are not plagued ⌞with problems⌟ like others.
6 That is why they wear arrogance like a necklace
and acts of violence like clothing.
7 Their eyes peer out from their fat faces,
and their imaginations run wild.
8 They ridicule.
They speak maliciously.
They speak arrogantly about oppression.
9 They verbally attack heaven,
and they order people around on earth.
10 That is why God’s people turn to wickedness
and swallow their words.
11 Then wicked people ask, “What does God know?”
“Does the Most High know anything?”
12 Look how wicked they are!
They never have a worry.
They grow more and more wealthy.
13 I’ve received no reward for keeping my life pure
and washing my hands of any blame.
14 I’m plagued ⌞with problems⌟ all day long,
and every morning my punishment ⌞begins again⌟.
15 If I had said, “I will continue to talk like that,”
I would have betrayed God’s people.
16 But when I tried to understand this,
it was too difficult for me.
17 Only when I came into God’s holy place
did I ⌞finally⌟ understand what would happen to them.
18 You put them in slippery places
and make them fall into ruin.
19 They are suddenly destroyed.
They are completely swept away by terror!
20 As ⌞someone⌟ gets rid of a dream when he wakes up,
so you, O Lord, get rid of the thought of them
when you wake up.
21 When my heart was filled with bitterness
and my mind was seized ⌞with envy⌟,
22 I was stupid, and I did not understand.
I was like a dumb animal in your presence.
23 Yet, I am always with you.
You hold on to my right hand.
24 With your advice you guide me,
and in the end you will take me to glory.
25 As long as I have you,
I don’t need anyone else in heaven or on earth.
26 My body and mind may waste away,
but God remains the foundation of my life
and my inheritance forever.
27 Without a doubt, those who are far from you will die.
You destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 Being united with God is my highest good.
I have made the Almighty Lord my refuge
so that I may report everything that he has done.
Footnotes
- 72:1 According to ancient Jewish and Christian tradition, “king ” and “king’s son ” refer to the Messiah.
Psalm 71-73
New International Version
Psalm 71-73
New International Version
Psalm 71(A)
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(B)
let me never be put to shame.(C)
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear(D) to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.(E)
4 Deliver(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(G)
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(H)
5 For you have been my hope,(I) Sovereign Lord,
my confidence(J) since my youth.
6 From birth(K) I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(L)
I will ever praise(M) you.
7 I have become a sign(N) to many;
you are my strong refuge.(O)
8 My mouth(P) is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor(Q) all day long.
9 Do not cast(R) me away when I am old;(S)
do not forsake(T) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(U) speak against me;
those who wait to kill(V) me conspire(W) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(X) him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue(Y) him.”
12 Do not be far(Z) from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help(AA) me.
13 May my accusers(AB) perish in shame;(AC)
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.(AD)
14 As for me, I will always have hope;(AE)
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell(AF) of your righteous deeds,(AG)
of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(AH) Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(AI) me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(AJ)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(AK)
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(AL) to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.(AM)
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(AN)
you who have done great things.(AO)
Who is like you, God?(AP)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(AQ)
many and bitter,
you will restore(AR) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(AS)
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(AT)
and comfort(AU) me once more.
22 I will praise you with the harp(AV)
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(AW)
Holy One of Israel.(AX)
23 My lips will shout for joy(AY)
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered.(AZ)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,(BA)
for those who wanted to harm me(BB)
have been put to shame and confusion.(BC)
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice,(BD) O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,(BE)
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted(BF) among the people
and save the children of the needy;(BG)
may he crush the oppressor.(BH)
5 May he endure[a](BI) as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.(BJ)
6 May he be like rain(BK) falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish(BL)
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River[b](BM) to the ends of the earth.(BN)
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(BO) and of distant shores(BP)
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(BQ) and Seba
present him gifts.(BR)
11 May all kings bow down(BS) to him
and all nations serve(BT) him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(BU) on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(BV) them from oppression and violence,
for precious(BW) is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba(BX) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.(BY)
16 May grain(BZ) abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(CA) flourish like Lebanon(CB)
and thrive[c] like the grass of the field.(CC)
17 May his name endure forever;(CD)
may it continue as long as the sun.(CE)
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(CG)
who alone does marvelous deeds.(CH)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(CI) forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(CJ)
Amen and Amen.(CK)
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(CL)
BOOK III
Psalms 73–89
Psalm 73
A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.(CM)
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(CN)
I had nearly lost my foothold.(CO)
3 For I envied(CP) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(CQ)
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[e]
5 They are free(CR) from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride(CS) is their necklace;(CT)
they clothe themselves with violence.(CU)
7 From their callous hearts(CV) comes iniquity[f];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;(CW)
with arrogance(CX) they threaten oppression.(CY)
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[g]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
13 Surely in vain(DB) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.(DC)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(DD)
and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(DE) all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(DF) of God;
then I understood their final destiny.(DG)
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(DH)
you cast them down to ruin.(DI)
19 How suddenly(DJ) are they destroyed,
completely swept away(DK) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(DL) when one awakes;(DM)
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.(DN)
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(DO) and ignorant;
I was a brute beast(DP) before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.(DQ)
24 You guide(DR) me with your counsel,(DS)
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(DT)
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(DU)
26 My flesh and my heart(DV) may fail,(DW)
but God is the strength(DX) of my heart
and my portion(DY) forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
- Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
- Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
- Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
- Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
- Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
- Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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