The Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 71 (2023)

Many commentators believe that this is David's psalm, his prayer and trust in God in the last years of the crisis of Absalom's rebellion. Since there is no title and the text of the psalm does not mention it, we will not speculate and treat Psalm 71 as if it was written under such circumstances. Instead, we treat it as an anonymous composition.

"Here we have the PRAYER OF THE HOLY BELIEVER who, in the holy confidence of faith, strengthened by long and extraordinary experience, intercedes against his enemies and seeks for himself further blessings." (Charles Spurgeon)

There are many interesting references and allusions to other psalms in this psalm.

• Psalm 71:1-3 is quoted almost exactly from Psalm 31:1-3.
• The thoughts of Psalm 71:5 seem to be suggested by Psalm 22:9-11.
• do not leave me(Psalm 71:12a) echoes Psalm 22:11.
• My God, hurry to help me!(Psalm 71:12b)taken from Psalm 70:1.
• Psalm 71:13 is similar to Psalm 35:26.
• Psalm 71:18 contains thoughts from Psalm 22:22 and 22:30-31.
• Psalm 71:19 uses the text from Exodus 15:11.

It is reasonable to assume that the author of Psalm 71 placed the study and consideration of God's word first in his life, and as a result naturally used the expressions and vocabulary of Scripture for prayer and praise.

“However, the words of imitation are sincere; and the new gratitude can be molded into the old forms without diminishing its acceptance by God and preciousness to men. (Alexander Maclaren)

A. God our refuge in old age.

1. (1-3) Trust in the Lord who saves his people.

In you, Lord, I trust;
Don't ever embarrass me.
Save me in your righteousness and let me escape;
Incline your ear to me and save me.
Be my strong refuge
What I can constantly resort to;
You gave the order to save me,
For youImy rock and my fortress.

A.In you, Lord, I trust: Many psalms begin by describing the poet's needs. The first line of Psalm 71 addresses God and expresses the singer's trust in Yahweh, the Lord, the God of the covenant of Israel. The psalmist was convinced that such trust in the Lord would lead to justification, and so it wouldnever shy.

I. "The psalmist so often begins his prayer by confessing his 'faith,' which is to a troubled soul what an anchor is to a distressed ship." (Corner)

B.Deliver me in your righteousness: Because the psalmist trusted in God, he boldly asked God to act justly in his favordeliverare. He askedrighteousnessThey work for God.

C.Incline your ear... save me... be my strong refuge: In the previous verse, the psalmist laid the basis of God's deliverance:save me in your righteousness. He then called on God to act justly on behalf of his servant in need to save and protect him.

andBe my strong refuge"Here we see a weak man, but he is in a strong dwelling: his safety is based on the tower in which he hides, and he is not in danger because of his personal weakness." (Surgeon)

D.You gave the order to save me: Convinced that it is God's will, and also hisTeamsthe psalmist prayed with confidence that God would be hisSteenAnd hisassignment of rights.

2. (4-6) Trust in God's constant care.

Deliver me, my God, from the hands of the wicked,
By the hand of an unjust and cruel man.
For you are my hope, Lord GOD;
You aremy childhood trust.
I have been supported by you since birth;
You are the One who took me from my mother's womb.
my praiseleave it at thatalways about you.

A.Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked: The source of the psalmist's misfortune is revealed. It wasmeanMan,unfair and cruelwhich seems to have gripped the psalmist. That's why he needed Goddeliverare.

andBy the hand of the wicked: "Always remember that wickedness is as dangerous when it seduces as it is when it persecutes; and can smile as well as frown like a dead man. (Corner)

B.You are my hope, Lord GOD: The psalmist declared hishoopandbelieveWAdonai Jahwe, Lord and God of the Covenant of Israel. It wasn't just his hope that was thereWYahweh; Ishe wasarehoop.

C.You have supported me since birth: The psalmist acknowledged God's care and help shown to him from his earliest years, appealed to God's constant protection and promised in returnLawTo God it was equally constant.

I. "As in the womb I lived in you, so from the womb". (Wave)

II.My glory will forever be Yours"Where kindness is continually received, praise must be sustained." (Surgeon)

3. (7-11) A powerful shield for longevity.

I became a miracle to many,
But youImy strong shelter.
Let my mouth be fullzyour praise
i zGlory be to you.
Do not cast me off in my old age;
Don't leave me when I'm weak.
For my enemies speak against me;
And those who seek my life take counsel,
Say: “God has forsaken him;
Hunt him down and catch himIsno one to deliverare”.

A.I have become a miracle to many, but you are my strong refuge: Because of the great opposition and attack, many people were in awe of the psalmist. They were insidemiraclethat a man - especially one so devoted to God - could suffer so much. However, he found approxlike a cursewith God himself.

I. "The believer is a riddle, a riddle to the non-priest; he is a monster who fights against the pleasures of the flesh, which all other men have; he is a wonder, irresponsible for the judgments of ungodly men; a miracle that they watched, feared and eventually ridiculed with contempt. (Surgeon)

II. "Christ, in his humiliation on earth, was everywhere a 'sign' to be opposed, just as Simon predicted; Luke 2:34.” (Corner)

iii.But you are my strong refuge: “Notice also the key effect of this sentencebut you(Psalm 71:7b) by diverting his attention from himself and the enemy that surrounds him; to escapeRadereality, not from it. (child)

B.Let my mouth be full of Your praise: For God was faithful aslike a cursethe psalmist was determined to speakLawto God and talk about HimLaw.

I. "God's bread is always in our mouths, as is his glory. It fills us with goodness; let us also be filled with gratitude. That would leave no room for murmuring or gossip.” (Surgeon)

C.Don't leave me when I'm weak: The psalmist knew God's faithfulness in his youth, and now he asked God to continue that faithfulness in his lifeageand if it is hispower goes out. he knewmalestrength declines with age, butBogpower bro.

I. “It is not unnatural or wrong for a man who is seeing old age to come and pray for special grace and special strength to enable him to face that against which he cannot protect himself and which he only fears. for who can look upon the toils of old age as themselves but with sorrow and reverie? Who wouldareold?" (Barnes, quoted in Spurgeon)

II. The psalmist is not just talking about lossPhysicallyandmentallystrength but also potential lossspirituallyresistance. Not every believer grows stronger in the Lord with age. The Bible is full of examples of people who sinned or fell away in their old age.

David sinned against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah when he was an adult (2 Samuel 11).

Solomon was drawn to idolatry in his later years (1 Kings 11).

· King Asa's trust in God declined significantly in later years. — 2 Chronicles 16:7-12.

D.For my enemies speak against me: The psalmist knew what his opponents were saying. He knew they said thatGod has abandoned himandthere is no one to save him. His distress made them think that God was no longer with him, so it was a good time to attack (chase him and catch him).

I. Jesus knew what it was like when people said to him:God has abandoned him(Luke 23:35-37). 'Our Lord touched that thorny shaft and it is no wonder that His disciples felt the same. If that exclamation were true, it would be a very bad day for us; but, thank God, that is a pure lie." (Surgeon)

4. (12-13) Help me by striking my enemies.

God, do not stay far from me;
My God, hurry to help me!
Let them mixanddigested
Who are the opponents of my life;
Keep them coveredzinsult and shame
who seek my evil.

A.My God, hurry to help me: With the angry enemies described in the previous verses, the psalmist needed God's helpSoon. He felt that delayed help was no help at all.

I. The psalmist had to accept that his problems did not disappear with the years. The problems remained. This is an important test for some believers, but the psalmist understood that it requires constant and more personal trust in God.

II. "Notice the even more intense embrace of faith in the second sentence. The psalmist first says, "O God," [and] then he says, "O my God." It is a beautiful request when we so grasp God with a personal embrace of faith that we cry: "Oh my God, come to my help." (Spurgeon)

B.Let them be ashamed and destroyed.... Let them cover themselves with shame and dishonor: This is what the psalmist was looking for. He wanted God to strike his opponents with confusion and dryness, rebuke and shame. He wanted not only to defeat them, but also to discredit them.

I. Adam Clarke looked at itlet them goutterances more like prophecies than prayers: "Sheareconfused: they arepropheticaccusations." (Clark)

B. Growing hope and glory.

1. (14-16) Enduring hope, enduring strength.

But I will always keep hoping
And he will praise you more and more.
My mouth will declare your righteousness
andYour salvation all day long,
Because I don't knowandborders.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will call your righteousness, only yours.

A.I will continue to hope and praise You more and more: The psalmist was in a serious crisis and counted on God's help. In this psalm, however, he does not despair, nor does he seem to lose his sense of God's grace. Psalm 71 is a beautiful combination of effort and praise.

andI'll keep hoping"I will seek deliverance after deliverance and blessing after blessing; and therefore I will praise Thee more and more. As Thy blessings abound, so shall my glory be." (Clark)

II. "If I cannot enjoy what I have, I look forward to what is mine and will continue to enjoy it." (Surgeon)

iii.He praises you more and more: “Dying hope would give birth to fading songs; as expectations dwindled, the music grew fainter; but immortal and eternal hope, shining brighter every day, brings forth a song of praise that will echo as ever, ever gaining new strength. (Surgeon)

B.My mouth will always proclaim your justice and your salvation: He gladly testified about GodrighteousnessAnd hisrednessand all day long. He felt that the whole day was necessary because it wasI do not knowfrombordershaverighteousnessandredness. They are unlimited.

andI don't know their limits: "Lord, where I cannot count, I will believe, and when truth surpasses number, I will arouse admiration." (Surgeon)

C.I will go in the strength of the Lord God: Looking ahead, the psalmist trusted in Godresistancedespite feeling that his personal strength was waning as the years passed (Psalm 71:9).

I. "Whoever goes to war with his spiritual enemies must not rely on his "strength", but on the strength of the Lord God; not in his own "righteousness", but in the righteousness of his Redeemer. Such a man fights with omnipotence on his side and cannot but win." (Kutak)

D.I will call your righteousness, only yours: The psalmist was only interested in tellingBogrighteousness, not their own or the supposed righteousness of the pagan gods.

andOnly yours: "Human justice does not deserve mention - dirty rags are best hidden; nor is there any righteousness under heaven or in heaven that can be compared to the divine." (Surgeon)

2. (17-18) God's power from youth to old age.

God, you taught me from my youth;
And on this oneAndI declare your wonderful works.
Now and whenIt's meold and gray
God does not leave me
Until I declare your powerTienGeneration,
Your power for allWHOis coming.

A.You have taught me since I was young: The psalmist had the blessed fortune to follow and know God from his youth. It was something that came in handy in his older years, still explaining Godnice works.

And betaughtyouryouthit shows stability and consistency. There is no fluttering from one fad to another, from one controversy to another.

II. "He says, 'God, thou hast taught me from my youth,' implying that God was still teaching him: and so he did. The disciple sought no other school, and the Master cast not his disciple away." (Surgeon)

B.When I am old and gray, O God, do not leave me until I declare Your strength to this generation: He prayed for the constant presence of God so that he couldannouncing Godstrength for the newGeneration.

I. "There is nothing so calculated to keep the hearts of old men young as to help the young, to sympathize with their aspirations, to encourage their efforts and strengthen their courage, to tell stories of God's strength, experiences of His power." (Morgana)

II. "There is nothing sadder or more beautiful than old age. It is sad when his pessimism cools the passion of youth. It is nice when his testimony awakens visions and inspires the heroism of young people. (Morgana)

iii.All who come: "To all future generations, to whom I will leave a lasting monument to this glorious example of all-sufficiency, which is this Psalm." (Swimming pools)

3. (19-21) Encouraged by God doing great deeds.

And your righteousness, O God,Isvery high,
You who have done great things;
God whoIsand you
Ty,who condemned me to great and painful misfortunes,
Bring me back to life
And bring me from the depths of the earth.
You will increase my size
And he comforts me from all sides.

A.Your righteousness, God, is very high: The psalmist reflected on God's greatness, especially in Himrighteousnesshe was of a different order than the male,very highabout men; and then that God is the one who hasHe has done great thingsbeyond what men can do. Elevationrighteousnessand the power of God led him to ask:O God, who is like You?

andWho is like you"God is alone - who can be like him? He is eternal. He cannot have himforand you can'tAlready; because to infinityunitareTrinityis that eternal, boundless, indivisible, incomprehensible and incoherent, ineffable Being, whosebeingit is hidden from all created intelligences and whoseadviceno creature, not even its own hand, can fathom. WHO IS LIKE YOU! God will forever inspire the awe, wonder, glory and adoration of angels and men." (Clark)

B.You who showed me great and severe trouble, you will bring me back to life: He realized that everything is in God's hands and he was allowed to experience itbig and difficult problemsit was too muchshownGod bless him. The same God could do that toorisehim by bringing himagain from the depths of the earth.

I. "Never doubt God. Never say that He is forsaken or forgotten. Never think that He is unsympathetic. He will speed up again." (Meyer)

C.You will increase my greatness and comfort me from all sides: It was more than a prayer, it was a reliable announcement. Even though he was years older, he still expected God to do itto increasearemaatand continue your workcomfort.

andYou will increase my size: The thing is, the psalmist will see more and more as the years go bygood game(Psalm 71:19). God yes. "The word 'greatness' refers to 'great things' (71:19), i.e. Yahweh's saving acts." (van Gemeren)

4. (22-24) Music of praise.

And I will praise you on the lute -
andYour faithfulness, oh my God!
I will sing to you on the harp,
O Holy One of Israel.
My lips will rejoice when I sing to you,
And you redeemed my soul.
And my tongue will always declare your righteousness;
Because they are ashamed
Because they are ashamed
who seek my evil.

A.I will praise you on the lute… I will sing to you on the harp: The psalmist promised to praise God not only with his voice, but also with musical instruments. It would be a song that praises God for what He has done (your loyalty) and who is he (O Holy One of Israel).

I. The psalmist was concerned about the right celebration of God's person and works. "To celebrate it correctly, with the melody of instruments, voices and feelings, all in perfect harmony, is the duty and joy of the fighting church; which, when applied in this way, gives the greatest resemblance to the triumphal church." (Cutak)

II.O Holy One of Israel: Kidner notes that this title is rare for God other than Isaiah, describing God as "He in whom 'unapproachable light' and covenantal love meet." (child)

B.And my tongue will always speak of your righteousness: It isustaandgoalthey are already given in songs to the glory of God. Now he added the speaking of his tongue to speak of God's languagerighteousness, especially when they saw him triumphing over his enemies (Shame on those who seek my misfortune).

I. “This is justification, not vindictiveness. It will be part of the joy of heaven (door. Revelation 15:3; 18:20).” (child)

(c) 2020 rPermanent wordDavid Guzik's Bible commentary– ewm@enduringword.com