Psalm , Sarah Barry
GOD IS MY ROCK AND MY FORTRESS
Passage: Psalm 71:1~24  
Key verse: 3
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)
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)
Cross references
- Psalm 71:1 : 71:1-3pp — Ps 31:1-4
- Psalm 71:1 : S Dt 23:15; Ru 2:12
- Psalm 71:1 : S Ps 22:5
- Psalm 71:2 : S 2Ki 19:16
- Psalm 71:3 : Ps 18:2
- Psalm 71:4 : S 2Ki 19:19
- Psalm 71:4 : Ps 140:4
- Psalm 71:4 : S Ge 48:16
- Psalm 71:5 : S Ps 9:18; S 25:5
- Psalm 71:5 : S Job 4:6; Jer 17:7
- Psalm 71:6 : S Ps 22:10
- Psalm 71:6 : S Job 3:16; S Ps 22:9
- Psalm 71:6 : Ps 9:1; 34:1; 52:9; 119:164; 145:2
- Psalm 71:7 : S Dt 28:46; Isa 8:18; 1Co 4:9
- Psalm 71:7 : S 2Sa 22:3; Ps 61:3
- Psalm 71:8 : ver 15; Ps 51:15; 63:5
- Psalm 71:8 : Ps 96:6; 104:1
- Psalm 71:9 : S Ps 51:11
- Psalm 71:9 : Ps 92:14; Isa 46:4
- Psalm 71:9 : S Dt 4:31; S 31:6
- Psalm 71:10 : Ps 3:7
- Psalm 71:10 : S Ps 10:8; 59:3; Pr 1:18
- Psalm 71:10 : S Ex 1:10; S Ps 31:13; S Mt 12:14
- Psalm 71:11 : S Ps 9:10; Isa 40:27; 54:7; La 5:20; Mt 27:46
- Psalm 71:11 : S Ps 7:2
- Psalm 71:12 : S Ps 38:21
- Psalm 71:12 : Ps 22:19; 38:22
- Psalm 71:13 : Jer 18:19
- Psalm 71:13 : S Job 8:22; Ps 25:3
- Psalm 71:13 : S Ps 70:2
- Psalm 71:14 : Ps 25:3; 42:5; 130:7; 131:3
- Psalm 71:15 : S ver 8; S Ps 66:16
- Psalm 71:15 : S Ps 51:14
- Psalm 71:16 : Ps 9:1; 77:12; 106:2; 118:15; 145:4
- Psalm 71:17 : S Dt 4:5; S Jer 7:13
- Psalm 71:17 : S Job 5:9; Ps 26:7; 86:10; 96:3
- Psalm 71:18 : Isa 46:4
- Psalm 71:18 : S Ex 9:16
- Psalm 71:18 : Job 8:8; Ps 22:30, 31; 78:4; 145:4; Joel 1:3
- Psalm 71:19 : S Ps 36:5
- Psalm 71:19 : Ps 126:2; Lk 1:49
- Psalm 71:19 : Ps 35:10; 77:13; 89:8
- Psalm 71:20 : Ps 25:17
- Psalm 71:20 : Ps 80:3, 19; 85:4; Hos 6:2
- Psalm 71:20 : S Ps 63:9
- Psalm 71:21 : Ps 18:35
- Psalm 71:21 : Ps 23:4; 86:17; Isa 12:1; 40:1-2; 49:13; 54:10
- Psalm 71:22 : Ps 33:2
- Psalm 71:22 : S Job 21:12; Ps 92:3; 144:9
- Psalm 71:22 : S 2Ki 19:22
- Psalm 71:23 : Ps 20:5
- Psalm 71:23 : S Ex 15:13
- Psalm 71:24 : S Ps 35:28
- Psalm 71:24 : ver 13
- Psalm 71:24 : S Est 9:2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Serve God in the days of youth (1-17)
David loved God and served him when he was just a shepherd boy. He put his hope in God. God was his rock of refuge, one-to whom he could always go. Throughout his lifetime he was attacked by many enemies. Some wanted to kill him; some sought to discredit him and smear his reputation. Some said that God had forsaken him. But he continued to praise God and to proclaim his mighty acts, his righteousness and his salvation all day long.
2. Praise and serve God in old age (18-24)
When his strength was gone and enemies still surrounded him, he continued to trust God. He asked God to help him declare God's marvelous deeds to the next generation and to generations to come. He had encountered many bitter trials, but he had resurrection faith (20). He continued to sing God's praise and shout for joy, and to make music on the harp and lyre.
Prayer: Lord, you have taught me since my youth; help me to declare your marvelous deeds to the next generation.
One Word: Friends for life; friends forever