Be My Rock of Refuge

1In thee O God I haue put my trust, let me neuer be put to confusion:

2(71:1) ridde me and deliuer me in thy ryghteousnesse, incline thine eare vnto me, and saue me.

3(71:2) Be thou my strong holde whervnto I may alway resort: thou hast geuen a charge to saue me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castell.

4(71:3) Delyuer me O my Lorde out of the hande of the vngodly: out of the hande of the vnryghteous and cruell man.

5(71:4) For thou O Lorde God art the thyng that I long for: thou art my hope euen from my youth.

6(71:5) Through thee haue I ben mayntayned euer since I was borne: thou art he that toke me out of my mothers wombe, my praise shalbe alway of thee.

7(71:6) I am become as it were a monster vnto many: but my sure trust is in thee.

8(71:7) Oh let my mouth be fylled: with thy prayse and glorie all the day long.

9(71:8) Cast me not away in the tyme of age: forsake me not when my strength fayleth me.

10(71:9) For myne enemies speake against me: and they that lay awayte for my soule take their counsayle together.

11(71:10) They say, the Lorde hath forsaken hym: do you persecute hym and take hym, for there is none to delyuer hym.

12(71:11) Go not farre from me O Lorde: haste thee O my Lorde to helpe me.

13(71:12) Let them be confounded, let them be brought to naught that are agaynst my soule: let them be couered with shame and dishonour that seke to do me euyll.

14(71:13) As for me I wyll patiently wayte alway: and I wyll prayse thee more and more.

15(71:14) My mouth shall dayly speake of thy ryghteousnesse and saluation: for I knowe no ende therof.

16(71:15) I wyll go foorth in the strength of the Lorde God: and I wyll only make mention of thy ryghteousnesse.

17(71:16) Thou O God hast taught me from my youth: and hytherto I can well declare thy wonderous workes.

18(71:17) Wherfore whylest I am olde and am gray headed: O Lorde forsake me not, vntyll I haue shewed thy arme vnto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.

19(71:18) And vntyll I haue exceedyngly exalted O Lorde thy ryghteousnesse: for great thynges are they that thou hast done, O Lorde who is lyke vnto thee?

20(71:19) Which hast made me to feele many great troubles and aduersities: yet returnyng thou hast reuyued me, yea returnyng thou hast caused me to come out from the bottome of the earth.

21(71:20) Thou hast brought me to greater honour then I had before: & thou returnyng hast comforted me on euery syde.

22(71:21) Therfore I wyll confesse vnto thee thy trueth O Lorde, playing vpon an instrument of musicke: vnto thee I wyl syng psalmes vpon the harpe O thou most holy God of Israel.

23(71:22) My lyppes wyll be ioyfull when I syng vnto thee: and so wyll my soule which thou hast redeemed.

24(71:23) My tongue also shal talke of thy righteousnesse all the day long: for they are confounded and brought vnto shame that seke to do me euyll.