CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. III
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III

Psalm LXXI (71)

Cantillated — Aged Confidence

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 71 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

1

In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

בְּךָֽ־יְהוָ֥ה חָסִ֑יתִי אַל־אֵב֥וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָֽם׃

2

Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֗ תַּצִּילֵ֥נִי וּֽתְפַלְּטֵ֑נִי הַטֵּֽה־אֵלַ֥י אָ֝זְנְךָ֗ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃

3

Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְצ֥וּר מָע֡וֹן לָב֗וֹא תָּמִ֗יד צִוִּ֥יתָ לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־סַלְעִ֖י וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י אָֽתָּה׃

4

Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

אֱֽלֹהַ֗י פַּ֭לְּטֵנִי מִיַּ֣ד רָשָׁ֑ע מִכַּ֖ף מְעַוֵּ֣ל וְחוֹמֵץ׃

5

For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.

כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִקְוָתִ֑י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְ֝הוִ֗ה מִבְטַחִ֥י מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃

6

I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you.

עָלֶ֤יךָ ׀ נִסְמַ֬כְתִּי מִבֶּ֗טֶן מִמְּעֵ֣י אִ֭מִּי אַתָּ֣ה גוֹזִ֑י בְּךָ֖ תְהִלָּתִ֣י תָמִֽיד׃

7

I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

כְּ֭מוֹפֵת הָיִ֣יתִי לְרַבִּ֑ים וְ֝אַתָּ֗ה מַֽחֲסִי־עֹֽז׃

8

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all day long.

יִמָּ֣לֵא פִ֭י תְּהִלָּתֶ֑ךָ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃

9

Don’t reject me in my old age. Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.

אַֽל־תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָ֑ה כִּכְל֥וֹת כֹּ֝חִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעַזְבֵֽנִי׃

10

For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

כִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ אוֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י נוֹעֲצ֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃

11

saying, “God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”

לֵ֭אמֹר אֱלֹהִ֣ים עֲזָב֑וֹ רִֽדְפ֥וּ וְ֝תִפְשׂ֗וּהוּ כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃

12

God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

אֱ֭לֹהִים אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חישה׃

13

Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ יִכְלוּ֮ שֹׂטְנֵ֪י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יַֽעֲט֣וּ חֶ֭רְפָּה וּכְלִמָּ֑ה מְ֝בַקְשֵׁ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃

14

But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.

וַ֭אֲנִי תָּמִ֣יד אֲיַחֵ֑ל וְ֝הוֹסַפְתִּ֗י עַל־כָּל־תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃

15

My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don’t know its full measure.

פִּ֤י ׀ יְסַפֵּ֬ר צִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם תְּשׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹ֖א יָדַ֣עְתִּי סְפֹרֽוֹת׃

16

I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

אָב֗וֹא בִּ֭גְבֻרוֹת אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה אַזְכִּ֖יר צִדְקָתְךָ֣ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃

17

God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים לִמַּדְתַּ֥נִי מִנְּעוּרָ֑י וְעַד־הֵ֝֗נָּה אַגִּ֥יד נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

18

Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

וְגַ֤ם עַד־זִקְנָ֨ה ׀ וְשֵׂיבָה֮ אֱלֹהִ֪ים אַֽל־תַּעַ֫זְבֵ֥נִי עַד־אַגִּ֣יד זְרוֹעֲךָ֣ לְד֑וֹר לְכָל־יָ֝ב֗וֹא גְּבוּרָתֶֽךָ׃

19

God, your righteousness also reaches to the heavens. You have done great things. God, who is like you?

וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ אֱלֹהִ֗ים עַד־מָ֫ר֥וֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָ גְדֹל֑וֹת אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים מִ֣י כָמֽוֹךָ׃

20

You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

אֲשֶׁ֤ר הראיתנו ׀ צָר֥וֹת רַבּ֗וֹת וְרָ֫ע֥וֹת תָּשׁ֥וּב תחיינו וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ תָּשׁ֥וּב תַּעֲלֵֽנִי׃

21

Increase my honor and comfort me again.

תֶּ֤רֶב ׀ גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י וְתִסֹּ֥ב תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃

22

I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

גַּם־אֲנִ֤י ׀ אוֹדְךָ֣ בִכְלִי־נֶבֶל֮ אֲמִתְּךָ֪ אֱלֹ֫הָ֥י אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה לְךָ֣ בְכִנּ֑וֹר קְ֝ד֗וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

23

My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

תְּרַנֵּ֣נָּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי כִּ֣י אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּ֑ךְ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּדִֽיתָ׃

24

My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.

גַּם־לְשׁוֹנִ֗י כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה צִדְקָתֶ֑ךָ כִּי־בֹ֥שׁוּ כִֽי־חָ֝פְר֗וּ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י רָעָתִֽי׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

In You, O Lord

I take refuge

Let me never be ashamed

In Your righteousness

Deliver me

Rescue me

Incline Your ear

Save me

Be to me

A rock of dwelling

Where I may come always

You have commanded

My salvation

For You are my rock

My fortress

My God

Rescue me

From the hand of the wicked

From the grasp

Of the unjust

For You are my hope

From my youth

You are my refuge

You are my strength

From the womb

You held me

My praise

My praise

Is always You

Do not cast me off

In old age

When my strength fails

Do not forsake me

For my enemies speak

They say

God has left him

There is none

To deliver

O God

Do not be far

Hasten

To help me

Let them be ashamed

Those against me

You are my refuge

You are my strength

I will hope

Continually

I will praise

More and more

My mouth

Will tell

Your righteousness

All the day

Your salvation

Without number

You taught me

From my youth

And still

I declare

Your wonders

Even to old age

Do not forsake me

Until I proclaim

Your power

Your righteousness

Reaches the heavens

You who have done

Great things

O God

Who is like You

Though You showed me

Troubles and sorrows

You will revive me

You will raise me

Again

You are my refuge

You are my strength

You restore life

You lift me again

You are my refuge

You are my strength

My lips will sing

My soul redeemed

I will praise You

With the harp

I will sing

To You

My lips will shout

For joy

All the day

I speak Your righteousness

For they are ashamed

Who sought my harm

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn