Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III
Psalm LXXI (71)
Cantillated — Aged Confidence
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 71 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.
בְּךָֽ־יְהוָ֥ה חָסִ֑יתִי אַל־אֵב֥וֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָֽם׃
Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.
בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֗ תַּצִּילֵ֥נִי וּֽתְפַלְּטֵ֑נִי הַטֵּֽה־אֵלַ֥י אָ֝זְנְךָ֗ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
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׃
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׃
For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh, my confidence from my youth.
כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תִקְוָתִ֑י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְ֝הוִ֗ה מִבְטַחִ֥י מִנְּעוּרָֽי׃
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׃
I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.
כְּ֭מוֹפֵת הָיִ֣יתִי לְרַבִּ֑ים וְ֝אַתָּ֗ה מַֽחֲסִי־עֹֽז׃
My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all day long.
יִמָּ֣לֵא פִ֭י תְּהִלָּתֶ֑ךָ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃
Don’t reject me in my old age. Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.
אַֽל־תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָ֑ה כִּכְל֥וֹת כֹּ֝חִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעַזְבֵֽנִי׃
For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
כִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ אוֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י וְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י נוֹעֲצ֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃
saying, “God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”
לֵ֭אמֹר אֱלֹהִ֣ים עֲזָב֑וֹ רִֽדְפ֥וּ וְ֝תִפְשׂ֗וּהוּ כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃
God, don’t be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.
אֱ֭לֹהִים אַל־תִּרְחַ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי חישה׃
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׃
But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.
וַ֭אֲנִי תָּמִ֣יד אֲיַחֵ֑ל וְ֝הוֹסַפְתִּ֗י עַל־כָּל־תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃
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׃
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׃
God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים לִמַּדְתַּ֥נִי מִנְּעוּרָ֑י וְעַד־הֵ֝֗נָּה אַגִּ֥יד נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
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׃
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׃
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׃
Increase my honor and comfort me again.
תֶּ֤רֶב ׀ גְּֽדֻלָּתִ֗י וְתִסֹּ֥ב תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
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׃
My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!
תְּרַנֵּ֣נָּ֣ה שְׂ֭פָתַי כִּ֣י אֲזַמְּרָה־לָּ֑ךְ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּדִֽיתָ׃
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.