Psalm 71 (Contemplation CM)

1 O Lord, my hope and confidenceis placed in thee alone;Then let thy servant never beput to confusion.2 And let me, in thy righteousness,from thee deliv’rance have;Cause me escape, incline thine earunto me, and me save.3 Be thou my dwelling-rock, to whichI ever may resort:Thou gav’st commandment me to save,for thou’rt my rock and fort.4 Free me, my God, from wicked hands,hands cruel and unjust:5 For thou, O Lord God, art my hope,and from my youth my trust.6 Thou from the womb didst hold me up;thou art the same that meOut of my mother’s bowels took;I ever will praise thee.7 To many I a wonder am;but thou’rt my refuge strong.8 Filled let my mouth be with thy praiseand honor all day long.9 O do not cast me off, when asold age doth overtake me;And when my strength decayed is,then do not thou forsake me.10 For those that are mine enemiesagainst me speak with hate;And they together counsel takethat for my soul lay wait.11 They said, God leaves him; him pursueand take: none will him save.12 Be thou not far from me, my God:thy speedy help I crave.13 Confound, consume them, that untomy soul are enemies:Clothed be they with reproach and shamethat do my hurt devise.14 But I with expectationwill hope continually;And yet with praises more and moreI will thee magnify.15 Thy justice and salvationmy mouth abroad shall show,Ev’n all the day; for I thereofthe numbers do not know.16 And I will constantly go onin strength of God the Lord;And thine own righteousness, ev’n thinealone, I will record.17 For even from my youth, O God,by thee I have been taught;And hitherto I have declaredthe wonders thou hast wrought.18 And now, Lord, leave me not, when Iold and gray-headed grow:Till to this age thy strength and pow’rto all to come I show.19 And thy most perfect righteousnessO Lord, is very high,Who hast so great things done: O God,who is like unto thee?20 Thou, Lord, who great adversities,and sore, to me didst show,Shalt quicken, and bring me againfrom depths of earth below.21 My greatness and my pow’r thou wiltincrease, and far extend:On ev’ry side against all griefthou wilt me comfort send.22 Thee, ev’n thy truth, I’ll also praise,my God, with psaltery:Thou Holy One of Israel,with harp I’ll sing to thee.23 My lips shall much rejoice in thee,when I thy praises sound;My soul, which thou redeemed hast,in joy shall much abound.24 My tongue thy justice shall proclaim,continuing all day long;For they confounded are, and shamed,that seek to do me wrong.