Psalm 71 - Keep me useful when I am old
"through David" is from LXX and Vulgate. MT and DSS have no title.
This psalm seems to take place during Absalom's rebellion when David was old (vv5-6,9,18) and homeless (vv3,7).
I divide this psalm into 3 parts for memorizing, breaking it at the 2 mentions of old age:
vv1-9
vv 10-18
vv 19-24
This psalm mentions old age or youth 5x:
v5 You, God, are my confidence from my youth.
v6 I leaned on You from the womb.
v9 Cast me not off in my old age.
v17 Since my youth You taught me and I tell Your marvelous works.
v18 When I am old and gray forsake me not until I've told Your arm to a generation.
This psalm mentions God's righteousness 5x David's righteousness is not mentioned:
v2 Deliver me in your righteousness.
v15 My mouth shall declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day.
v16 I will recall Thy righteousness, Thine alone.
v19 When I am old, forsake me not until I have told Thine arm, might and righteousness .
v24 The psalm ends with My tongue shall speak of Your righteousness all the day.
An unusual feature of this psalm is the use of the word "continually" or the phrase "all the day" 5x:
v3 To enter continually into God as my Rock of habitation
v6 My praise shall be continually found in Thee.
v8 My mouth shall be filled with Thy glory all the day.
v14 I will continually hope and add on Your praise.
v24 The psalm ends with "All the day my tongue shall speak Thy righteousness".
Requests in this psalm
1. Never let me be put to shame. v1
2. Deliver me in Your righteousness and rescue me. v2
3. Bow down Your ear to me and save me. v2
4. Become to me for a Rock of habitation to enter continually. v3
5. Rescue me from the hand of the wicked and from the palm of the unrighteous and cruel man. v4
6. Don't cast me off in old age or when my strength fails. v9
7. Don't be far from me. v12
8. Haste to my help. v12.
9. Let my enemies be ashamed, finished. v13
10. Don't forsake me until I have finished telling the world of Your arm, might and righteousness. vv18-19
11. Revive again. v20
2 Lord, deliver me, and do not compromise Your righteousness in doing so.
3 I think David needs the Lord to be a Rock of habitation to him because he is homeless.
This is the first mention in this psalm of "continually". Continually enter into God as my Rock of habitation. If I ask God to be my Rock of habitation, then on my part I need to enter my Rock continually. ref. Ps 19:14
God has promised good concerning David and concerning us, so I can pray based on His commandment to save me.
David asks God to become his Rock of habitation because that is what God is.
4 The 2nd word for "hand" is open palm, not grasping, but appearing to be able to grasp at any time. I need to pray for God to deliver me from the real power of the wicked and from the appearance of that power.
5 "from my youth" indicates David is no longer young
6 2nd mention of "continually".- continually praise in God. David praised God continually in the past and will continue to do so.
3rd mention of God as my dwelling or refuge.
Where goodness has been unceasingly received, praise should unceasingly be offered.- C. H. Spurgeon
8 "all the day" is the 3rd mention of the meaning of "continually" - all the day praise.
There are 2 mentions of "my mouth" in this psalm. Here and in v15.
9 It seems that David is old. One doesn't talk like this when young. I may not have strength to work, but I can praise based on much experience.
Not, "if my strength fails", but "when".
11 ref. 2Sam 17:1-4. It appears David prayed this psalm when fleeing from Absalom his son.
14 4th mention of "continually". Continually hope and add on God's praise. Hope produces genuine praise and also vice-versa. David hoped in God continually from his youth and praised God, and now that he is old he will continue and has praise to add.
15 5th mention of the meaning of "continually" - All day recount God's salvation and righteousness. Share the gospel.
16 David will go to war against a much bigger army in the might of the Lord God. We go forth for the gospel. ref. Judges 6:14
This is one of my favorite verses.
How gloriously conspicuous is righteousness in the divine plan of redemption! It should be the theme of constant discourse.- Spurgeon
ref Rom 1:16-17
17 David is old but still being taught by God. This is my 2nd favorite verse in this psalm.
Among many other things, God especially taught David to go in the might of the LORD.
When we go in the might of the Lord (v16), God teaches us.
18 You, God, have taught me since my youth until now. Now when I am old, I want to live so that I will still go in the might of the Lord God and can continue to tell Your doings to a generation.
ref Prov 16:31
20 As You have faithfully revived me in my many past troubles, revive me again.
Does the 2nd half of this verse refer to resurrection or to deliverance from many and sore troubles? I believe it refers to deliverance from sore troubles because of what follows in v21.
21 Even though I am old, I still expect to grow in the Lord.
22 "Thy truth, my God, I'll sing to Thee" - I feel this is one of the 2 most touching and intimate lines in this psalm. David addresses God as "God" 5 times in this psalm, and "my God" only 3 times. It seems he reserved "my God" for particularly intimate words.
The other 2 times David addresses God as "my God" in this psalm are both in calling for help in v4 & v12.
I feel the most touching line is in the next verse.
23 My lips sing for joy about the Holy One of Israel. Lips are tender (Ps 45:2). This is the only mention of lips in this psalm.
"And my soul which Thou hast redeemed" I feel is the most touching line in this psalm. My lips with harp and lyre sing Your truth to You, my God, and so does my soul, which You have redeemed. This is my favorite verse in this psalm. Whenever I sing the last phrase "and my soul which Thou hast redeemed", my heart tingles.
Soul singing is the soul of singing. Till men are redeemed, they are like instruments out of tune; but when once the precious blood has set them at liberty, then are they fitted to magnify the Lord who bought them. - Spurgeon
11/17/2024 Steve Miller