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Sower with Setting Sun. Vincent van Gogh, mid July 1888. Sotheby's, New York, 18 November 2025, lot 4. Public domain.

Psalm 71

24 verses · Individual lament

O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation.

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; incline Your ear and save me.

Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go.Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.

Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.

For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.

I have leaned on You since birth;You pulled me from my mother’s womb.My praise is always for You.

I have become a portent to many, but You are my strong refuge.

My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your splendor all day long.

Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.

For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,

saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.”

Be not far from me, O God.Hurry, O my God, to help me.

May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace.

But I will always hope and will praise You more and more.

My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.

I will enter in the strength of the Lord GOD;I will proclaim Your righteousness—Yours alone.

O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.

Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You who have done great things.Who, O God, is like You?

Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again.Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.

You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

So I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God;I will sing praise to You with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.

My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.

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