LIFELONG

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

¹ In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
² In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
³ Be to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴ Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
⁵ For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
⁶ From my birth I have leaned upon you,
my protector since my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

⁷ I have been like a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise
and with your glory all day long.
⁹ Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
do not forsake me when my strength is spent. 

¹⁷ O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
¹⁸ So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might
to all the generations to come.
Your power ¹⁹ and your righteousness, O God,
reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
²⁰ You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
²¹ You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again. 

²² I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.
²⁴ All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,
for those who tried to do me harm
have been put to shame and disgraced.

When and where has God been known to you? The psalmist speaks of a lifelong relationship with God, mentioning birth, youth, and even the time of old age and gray hairs. It is in this time that God teaches us, and serves as a refuge.

When I think upon the mighty deeds of God, I’m pretty sure I have known God for a long time.

Prayer

God, thank You for knowing me so well, and for letting me come to know You through Your lifelong wondrous deeds all around. Amen.