Psalm 71 Catholic: Do Not Forsake Me in My Old Age

Psalm 71 is the prayer of an older person who has trusted God all his life: “from my mother’s womb thou art my protector,” and who now asks, “Cast me not off in the time of old age: when my strength shall fail, do not thou forsake me.” It begins with the words “In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 70. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.

Psalm 71 in the Douay-Rheims Bible

A psalm for David. Of the sons of Jonadab, and the former captives. In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion:
Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me. Incline thy ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of strength: that thou mayst make me safe. For thou art my firmament and my refuge.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust.
For thou art my patience, O Lord: my hope, O Lord, from my youth;
By thee have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother’s womb thou art my protector. Of thee shall I continually sing:
I am become unto many as a wonder, but thou art a strong helper.
Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may sing thy glory; thy greatness all the day long.
Cast me not off in the time of old age: when my strength shall fail, do not thou forsake me.
For my enemies have spoken against me; and they that watched my soul have consulted together,
Saying: God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
O God, be not thou far from me: O my God, make haste to my help.
Let them be confounded and come to nothing that detract my soul; let them be covered with confusion and shame that seek my hurt.
But I will always hope; and will add to all thy praise.
My mouth shall shew forth thy justice; thy salvation all the day long. Because I have not known learning,
I will enter into the powers of the Lord: O Lord, I will be mindful of thy justice alone.
Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth: and till now I will declare thy wonderful works.
And unto old age and grey hairs: O God, forsake me not, Until I shew forth thy arm to all the generation that is to come: Thy power,
And thy justice, O God, even to the highest great things thou hast done: O God, who is like to thee?
How great troubles hast thou shewn me, many and grievous: and turning thou hast brought me to life, and hast brought me back again from the depths of the earth:
Thou hast multiplied thy magnificence; and turning to me thou hast comforted me.
For I will also confess to thee thy truth with the instruments of psaltery: O God, I will sing to thee with the harp, thou holy one of Israel.
My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I shall sing to thee; and my soul which thou hast redeemed.
Yea and my tongue shall meditate on thy justice all the day; when they shall be confounded and put to shame that seek evils to me.

Psalm 71 or Psalm 70?

The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 70 is Psalm 71 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum. See how many psalms are there?

What the psalm means

A lifetime of trust: God has been the psalmist’s hope “from my youth” and “from my mother’s womb.”
Fear of abandonment in old age: “when my strength shall fail, do not thou forsake me.”
Passing on the faith: “until I shew forth thy arm to all the generation that is to come,” the mission of grandparents and elders.
Praise that grows: “I will always hope; and will add to all thy praise.”
Restoration: God who allowed many troubles will bring us back “from the depths of the earth.”

How the Church uses Psalm 71

At Mass, for example the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C): “I will sing of your salvation,” and on Tuesday of Holy Week.
For the elderly, the sick and the dying, as a prayer of lifelong trust. See prayers for the dying.
On birthdays and anniversaries of older loved ones. See Catholic birthday prayers.

A prayer with Psalm 71

Written for this page:

Lord, you have been my hope from my youth, my trust from my mother’s womb.
Do not cast me off in my old age; when my strength fails, do not forsake me.
Let me tell the next generation of your mighty works,
and keep hoping in you and praising you more and more. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

What is Psalm 71 about?

The prayer of an older person who has trusted God since birth and asks him not to abandon him in old age.

Psalm 71 (70): “Do Not Cast Me Off in My Old Age,” Catholic Text and Meaning