The Prayer of an Elderly Person
1 Lord, I have come to you for protection;
never let me be defeated!
2 Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me.
Listen to me and save me!
3 Be my secure shelter
and a strong fortress to protect me;
you are my refuge and defense.
4 My God, rescue me from wicked people,
from the power of cruel and evil people.
5 Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you;
I have trusted in you since I was young.
6 I have relied on you all my life;
you have protected me since the day I was born.
I will always praise you.
7 My life has been an example to many,
because you have been my strong defender.
8 All day long I praise you
and proclaim your glory.
9 Do not reject me now that I am old;
do not abandon me now that I am feeble.
10 My enemies want to kill me;
they talk and plot against me.
11 They say, “God has abandoned him;
let's go after him and catch him;
there is no one to rescue him.”
12 Don't stay so far away, O God;
my God, hurry to my aid!
13 May those who attack me
be defeated and destroyed.
May those who try to hurt me
be shamed and disgraced.
14 I will always put my hope in you;
I will praise you more and more.
15 I will tell of your goodness;
all day long I will speak of your salvation,
though it is more than I can understand.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.
17 You have taught me ever since I was young,
and I still tell of your wonderful acts.
18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray,
do not abandon me, O God!
Be with me while I proclaim your power and might
to all generations to come.
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches the skies.
You have done great things;
there is no one like you.
20 You have sent troubles and suffering on me,
but you will restore my strength;
you will keep me from the grave.
21 You will make me greater than ever;
you will comfort me again.
22 I will indeed praise you with the harp;
I will praise your faithfulness, my God.
On my harp I will play hymns to you,
the Holy One of Israel.
23 I will shout for joy as I play for you;
with my whole being I will sing
because you have saved me.
24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long,
because those who tried to harm me
have been defeated and disgraced.
1 In thee, O Lord, I trust: let me neuer be ashamed. 2 Rescue mee and deliuer me in thy righteousnes: incline thine eare vnto me and saue me. 3 Be thou my strong rocke, whereunto I may alway resort: thou hast giuen commandement to saue me: for thou art my rocke, and my fortresse. 4 Deliuer mee, O my God, out of the hande of the wicked: out of the hande of the euill and cruell man. 5 For thou art mine hope, O Lord God, euen my trust from my youth. 6 Vpon thee haue I beene stayed from the wombe: thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers bowels: my praise shalbe alwaies of thee. 7 I am become as it were a monster vnto many: but thou art my sure trust. 8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy glory euery day. 9 Cast mee not off in the time of age: forsake me not when my strength faileth. 10 For mine enemies speake of mee, and they that lay waite for my soule, take their counsell together, 11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliuer him. 12 Goe not farre from me, O God: my God, haste thee to helpe me. 13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soule: let them be couered with reproofe and confusion, that seeke mine hurt. 14 But I will waite continually, and will praise thee more and more. 15 My mouth shall daily rehearse thy righteousnesse, and thy saluation: for I knowe not the nomber. 16 I will goe forwarde in the strength of the Lord God, and will make mention of thy righteousnesse, euen of thine onely. 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth euen vntill nowe: therefore will I tell of thy wonderous workes, 18 Yea, euen vnto mine olde age and graie head, O God: forsake me not, vntill I haue declared thine arme vnto this generation, and thy power to all them, that shall come. 19 And thy righteousnes, O God, I wil exalt on high: for thou hast done great thinges: O God, who is like vnto thee! 20 Which hast shewed me great troubles and aduersities, but thou wilt returne, and reuiue me, and wilt come againe, and take mee vp from the depth of the earth. 21 Thou wilt increase mine honour, and returne and comfort me. 22 Therefore will I praise thee for thy faithfulnesse, O God, vpon instrument and viole: vnto thee will I sing vpon the harpe, O Holy one of Israel. 23 My lippes will reioyce when I sing vnto thee, and my soule, which thou hast deliuered. 24 My tongue also shall talke of thy righteousnesse daily: for they are confounded and brought vnto shame, that seeke mine hurt.