Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Psalms » Chapter 71 » Verse 1-24

Psalms 71:1-24 King James Version (KJV)

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1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

Psalms 71:1-24 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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1 In thee, O LORD, H3068 do I put my trust: H2620 let me never H408 H5769 be put to confusion. H954

2 Deliver H5337 me in thy righteousness, H6666 and cause me to escape: H6403 incline H5186 thine ear H241 unto me, and save H3467 me.

3 Be thou my strong H6697 habitation, H4583 whereunto I may continually H8548 resort: H935 thou hast given commandment H6680 to save H3467 me; for thou art my rock H5553 and my fortress. H4686

4 Deliver H6403 me, O my God, H430 out of the hand H3027 of the wicked, H7563 out of the hand H3709 of the unrighteous H5765 and cruel man. H2556

5 For thou art my hope, H8615 O Lord H136 GOD: H3069 thou art my trust H4009 from my youth. H5271

6 By thee have I been holden up H5564 from the womb: H990 thou art he that took H1491 me out of my mother's H517 bowels: H4578 my praise H8416 shall be continually H8548 of thee.

7 I am as a wonder H4159 unto many; H7227 but thou art my strong H5797 refuge. H4268

8 Let my mouth H6310 be filled H4390 with thy praise H8416 and with thy honour H8597 all the day. H3117

9 Cast me not off H7993 in the time H6256 of old age; H2209 forsake H5800 me not when my strength H3581 faileth. H3615

10 For mine enemies H341 speak H559 against me; and they that lay wait H8104 for my soul H5315 take counsel H3289 together, H3162

11 Saying, H559 God H430 hath forsaken H5800 him: persecute H7291 and take H8610 him; for there is none to deliver H5337 him.

12 O God, H430 be not far H7368 from me: O my God, H430 make haste H2363 H2439 for my help. H5833

13 Let them be confounded H954 and consumed H3615 that are adversaries H7853 to my soul; H5315 let them be covered H5844 with reproach H2781 and dishonour H3639 that seek H1245 my hurt. H7451

14 But I will hope H3176 continually, H8548 and will yet praise H8416 thee more H3254 and more. H3254

15 My mouth H6310 shall shew forth H5608 thy righteousness H6666 and thy salvation H8668 all the day; H3117 for I know H3045 not the numbers H5615 thereof.

16 I will go in H935 the strength H1369 of the Lord H136 GOD: H3069 I will make mention H2142 of thy righteousness, H6666 even of thine only.

17 O God, H430 thou hast taught H3925 me from my youth: H5271 and hitherto have I declared H5046 thy wondrous works. H6381

18 Now also when H5704 I am old H2209 and grayheaded, H7872 O God, H430 forsake H5800 me not; until I have shewed H5046 thy strength H2220 unto this generation, H1755 and thy power H1369 to every one that is to come. H935

19 Thy righteousness H6666 also, O God, H430 is very high, H4791 who hast done H6213 great things: H1419 O God, H430 who is like unto thee!

20 Thou, which hast shewed H7200 me great H7227 and sore H7451 troubles, H6869 shalt quicken H2421 me again, H7725 and shalt bring me up H5927 again H7725 from the depths H8415 of the earth. H776

21 Thou shalt increase H7235 my greatness, H1420 and comfort H5162 me on every side. H5437

22 I will also praise H3034 thee with the psaltery, H3627 H5035 even thy truth, H571 O my God: H430 unto thee will I sing H2167 with the harp, H3658 O thou Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478

23 My lips H8193 shall greatly rejoice H7442 when I sing H2167 unto thee; and my soul, H5315 which thou hast redeemed. H6299

24 My tongue H3956 also shall talk H1897 of thy righteousness H6666 all the day H3117 long: for they are confounded, H954 for they are brought unto shame, H2659 that seek H1245 my hurt. H7451

Psalms 71:1-24 American Standard (ASV)

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1 In thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge: Let me never be put to shame.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me: Bow down thine ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be thou to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; For thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah: `Thou art' my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb; Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: My praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I am as a wonder unto many; But thou art my strong refuge.

8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honor all the day.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10 For mine enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take counsel together,

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: Pursue and take him; for there is none to deliver.

12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me.

13 Let them be put to shame `and' consumed that are adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more.

15 My mouth shall tell of thy righteousness, `And' of thy salvation all the day; For I know not the numbers `thereof'.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Jehovah: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

18 Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not, Until I have declared thy strength unto `the next' generation, Thy might to every one that is to come.

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto thee?

20 Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me.

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, `Even' thy truth, O my God: Unto thee will I sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises unto thee; And my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long; For they are put to shame, for they are confounded, that seek my hurt. Psalm 72 `A Psalm' of Solomon.

Psalms 71:1-24 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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1 In Thee, O Jehovah, I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age.

2 In Thy righteousness Thou dost deliver me, And dost cause me to escape, Incline unto me Thine ear, and save me.

3 Be to me for a rock -- a habitation, To go in continually, Thou hast given command to save me, For my rock and my bulwark `art' Thou.

4 O my God, cause me to escape From the hand of the wicked, From the hand of the perverse and violent.

5 For Thou `art' my hope, O Lord Jehovah, My trust from my youth.

6 By Thee I have been supported from the womb, From my mother's bowels Thou dost cut me out, In Thee `is' my praise continually.

7 As a wonder I have been to many, And Thou `art' my strong refuge.

8 Filled is my mouth `with' Thy praise, All the day `with' Thy beauty.

9 Cast me not off at the time of old age, According to the consumption of my power forsake me not.

10 For mine enemies have spoken against me, And those watching my soul have taken counsel together,

11 Saying, `God hath forsaken him, Pursue and catch him, for there is no deliverer.'

12 O God, be not far from me, O my God, for my help make haste.

13 They are ashamed, they are consumed, Who are opposing my soul, They are covered `with' reproach and blushing, Who are seeking my evil,

14 And I continually do wait with hope, And have added unto all Thy praise.

15 My mouth recounteth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy salvation, For I have not known the numbers.

16 I come in the might of the Lord Jehovah, I mention Thy righteousness -- Thine only.

17 God, Thou hast taught me from my youth, And hitherto I declare Thy wonders.

18 And also unto old age and grey hairs, O God, forsake me not, Till I declare Thy strength to a generation, To every one that cometh Thy might.

19 And Thy righteousness, O God, `is' unto the heights, Because Thou hast done great things, O God, who `is' like Thee?

20 Because Thou hast showed me many and sad distresses, Thou turnest back -- Thou revivest me, And from the depths of the earth, Thou turnest back -- Thou bringest me up.

21 Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest -- Thou comfortest me,

22 I also thank Thee with a vessel of psaltery, Thy truth, O my God, I sing to Thee with a harp, O Holy One of Israel,

23 My lips cry aloud when I sing praise to Thee, And my soul that Thou hast redeemed,

24 My tongue also all the day uttereth Thy righteousness, Because ashamed -- because confounded, Have been those seeking my evil!

Psalms 71:1-24 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

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1 In thee, Jehovah, do I trust: let me never be ashamed.

2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

4 My God, rescue me out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah, my confidence from my youth.

6 On thee have I been stayed from the womb; from the bowels of my mother thou didst draw me forth: my praise shall be continually of thee.

7 I have been as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, with thy glory, all the day.

9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10 For mine enemies speak against me, and they that watch for my soul consult together,

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver.

12 O God, be not far from me; my God, hasten to my help.

13 Let them be ashamed, let them be consumed, that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

14 But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.

15 My mouth shall declare thy righteousness, [and] thy salvation all the day: for I know not the numbers [thereof].

16 I will go in the might of the Lord Jehovah; I will recall thy righteousness, thine alone.

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I proclaimed thy marvellous works:

18 Now also, when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not, until I have proclaimed thine arm unto [this] generation, thy might to every one that is to come.

19 And thy righteousness, O God, reacheth on high, thou who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee?

20 Thou, who hast shewn us many and sore troubles, wilt revive us again, and wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth;

21 Thou wilt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, my God; unto thee will I sing psalms with the harp, thou holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall exult when I sing psalms unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day; for they shall be ashamed, for they shall be brought to confusion, that seek my hurt.

Psalms 71:1-24 World English Bible (WEB)

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1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, For you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, From the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh; My confidence from my youth.

6 I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother's womb. I will always praise you.

7 I am a marvel to many, But you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, With your honor all the day.

9 Don't reject me in my old age. Don't forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

11 Saying, "God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him."

12 God, don't be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

13 Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

14 But I will always hope, And will add to all of your praise.

15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, And of your salvation all day, Though I don't know its full measure.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

17 God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don't forsake me, Until I have declared your strength to the next generation, Your might to everyone who is to come.

19 Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens; You have done great things. God, who is like you?

20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, You will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Increase my honor, And comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

24 My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, For they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.

Psalms 71:1-24 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

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1 In you, O Lord, have I put my hope; let me never be shamed.

2 Keep me safe in your righteousness, and come to my help; give ear to my voice, and be my saviour.

3 Be my strong Rock, the strong place of my salvation; for you are my Rock, and my safe place.

4 O my God, take me out of the hand of the sinner, out of the hand of the evil and cruel man.

5 For you are my hope, O Lord God; I have had faith in you from the time when I was young.

6 You have been my support from the day of my birth; you took me out of my mother's body; my praise will be ever of you.

7 I am a wonder to all; but you are my strong tower.

8 My mouth will be full of your praise and glory all the day.

9 Do not give me up when I am old; be my help even when my strength is gone.

10 For my haters are waiting secretly for me; and those who are watching for my soul are banded together in their evil designs,

11 Saying, God has given him up; go after him and take him, for he has no helper.

12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, come quickly to my help.

13 Let those who say evil against my soul be overcome and put to shame; let my haters be made low and have no honour.

14 But I will go on ever hoping, and increasing in all your praise.

15 My mouth will make clear your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for they are more than may be measured.

16 I will give news of the great acts of the Lord God; my words will be of your righteousness, and of yours only.

17 O God, you have been my teacher from the time when I was young; and I have been talking of your works of wonder even till now.

18 Now when I am old and grey-headed, O God, give me not up; till I have made clear your strength to this generation, and your power to all those to come.

19 Your righteousness, O God, is very high; you have done great things; O God, who is like you?

20 You, who have sent great and bitter troubles on me, will give me life again, lifting me up from the deep waters of the underworld.

21 You will make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side.

22 I will give praise to you with instruments of music, O my God, for you are true; I will make songs to you with music, O Holy One of Israel.

23 Joy will be on my lips when I make melody to you; and in my soul, to which you have given salvation.

24 My tongue will be talking of your righteousness all the day; for those whose purpose is to do me evil have been crushed and put to shame.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 71

Commentary on Psalms 71 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Psalm 71

David penned this psalm in his old age, as appears by several passages in it, which makes many think that it was penned at the time of Absalom's rebellion; for that was the great trouble of his later days. It might be occasioned by Sheba's insurrection, or some trouble that happened to him in that part of his life of which it was foretold that the sword should not depart from his house. But he is not over-particular in representing his case, because he intended it for the general use of God's people in their afflictions, especially those they meet with in their declining years; for this psalm, above any other, is fitted for the use of the old disciples of Jesus Christ.

  • I. He begins the psalm with believing prayers, with prayers that God would deliver him and save him (v. 2, 4), and not cast him off (v. 9) or be far from him (v. 12), and that his enemies might be put to shame (v. 13). He pleads his confidence in God (v. 1, 3, 5, 7), the experience he had had of help from God (v. 6), and the malice of his enemies against him (v. 10, 11).
  • II. He concludes the psalm with believing praises (v. 14, etc.). Never was his hope more established (v. 16, 18, 20, 21). Never were his joys and thanksgivings more enlarged (v. 15, 19, 22-24).

He is in an ecstasy of joyful praise; and, in the singing of it, we too should have our faith in God encouraged and our hearts raised in blessing his holy name.

Psa 71:1-13

Two things in general David here prays for-that he might not be confounded and that his enemies and persecutors might be confounded.

  • I. He prays that he might never be made ashamed of his dependence upon God nor disappointed in his believing expectations from him. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace; for God will never disappoint the hope that is of his own raising. Now observe here,
    • 1. How David professes his confidence in God, and with what pleasure and grateful variety of expression he repeats his profession of that confidence, still presenting the profession of it to God and pleading it with him. We praise God, and so please him, by telling him (if it be indeed true) what an entire confidence we have in him (v. 1): "In thee, O Lord! and in thee only, do I put my trust. Whatever others do, I choose the God of Jacob for my help.' Those that are entirely satisfied with God's all-sufficiency and the truth of his promise, and in dependence upon that, as sufficient to make them amends, are freely willing to do and suffer, to lose and venture, for him, may truly say, In thee, O Lord! do I put my trust. Those that will deal with God must deal upon trust; if we are shy of dealing with him, it is a sign we do not trust him. Thou art my rock and my fortress (v. 3); and again, "Thou art my refuge, my strong refuge' (v. 7); that is, "I fly to thee, and am sure to be safe in thee, and under thy protection. If thou secure me, none can hurt me. Thou art my hope and my trust' (v. 5); that is, "thou hast proposed thyself to me in thy word as the proper object of my hope and trust; I have hoped in thee, and never found it in vain to do so.'
    • 2. How his confidence in God is supported and encouraged by his experiences (v. 5, 6): "Thou hast been my trust from my youth; ever since I was capable of discerning between my right hand and my left, I stayed myself upon thee, and saw a great deal of reason to do so; for by thee have I been holden up from the womb.' Ever since he had the use of his reason he had been a dependent upon God's goodness, because ever since he had had a being he had been a monument of it. Note, The consideration of the gracious care which the divine Providence took of us in our birth and infancy should engage us to an early piety and constant devotedness to his honour. He that was our help from our birth ought to be our hope from our youth. If we received so much mercy from God before we were capable of doing him any service, we should lose no time when we are capable. This comes in here as a support to the psalmist in his present distress; not only that God had given him his life and being, bringing him out of his mother's bowels into the world, and providing that he should not die from the womb, nor give up the ghost when he came out of the belly, but that he had betimes made him one of his family: "Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels into the arms of thy grace, under the shadow of thy wings, into the bond of thy covenant; thou tookest me into thy church, as a son of thy handmaid, and born in thy house, Ps. 116:16. And therefore,'
      • (1.) "I have reason to hope that thou wilt protect me; thou that hast held me up hitherto wilt not let me fall now; thou that madest me wilt not forsake the work of thy own hands; thou that helpedst me when I could not help myself wilt not abandon me now that I am as helpless as I was then.'
      • (2.) "Therefore I have reason to resolve that I will devote myself unto thee: My praise shall therefore be continually of thee;' that is, "I will make it my business every day to praise thee and will take all occasions to do it.'
    • 3. What his requests to God are, in this confidence.
      • (1.) That he might never be put to confusion (v. 1), that he might not be disappointed of the mercy he expected and so made ashamed of his expectation. Thus we may all pray in faith that our confidence in God may not be our confusion. Hope of the glory of God is hope that makes not ashamed.
      • (2.) That he might be delivered out of the hand of his enemies (v. 2): "Deliver me in thy righteousness. As thou art the righteous Judge of the world, pleading the cause of the injured and punishing the injurious, cause me in some way or other to escape' (God will, with the temptation, make a way to escape, 1 Co. 10:13): "Incline thy ear unto my prayers, and, in answer to them, save me out of my troubles, v. 4. Deliver me, O my God! out of the hands of those that are ready to pull me in pieces.' Three things he pleads for deliverance:-
        • [1.] The encouragement God had given him to expect it: Thou hast given commandment to save me (v. 3); that is, thou hast promised to do it, and such efficacy is there in God's promises that they are often spoken of as commands, like that, Let there be light, and there was light. He speaks, and it is done.
        • [2.] The character of his enemies; they are wicked, unrighteous, cruel men, and it will be for the honour of God to appear against them (v. 4), for he is a holy, just, and good God.
        • [3.] The many eyes that were upon him (v. 7): "I am as a wonder unto many; every one waits to see what will be the issue of such extraordinary troubles as I have fallen into and such extraordinary confidence as I profess to have in God.' Or, "I am looked upon as a monster, am one whom every body shuns, and therefore am undone if the Lord be not my refuge. Men abandon me, but God will not.'
      • (3.) That he might always find rest and safety in God (v. 3): Be thou my strong habitation; by thou to me a rock of repose, whereto I may continually resort. Those that are at home in God, that live a life of communion with him and confidence in him, that continually resort unto him by faith and prayer, having their eyes ever towards him, may promise themselves a strong habitation in him, such as will never fall of itself nor can ever be broken through by any invading power; and they shall be welcome to resort to him continually upon all occasions, and not be upbraided as coming too often.
      • (4.) That he might have continual matter for thanksgiving to God, and might be continually employed in that pleasant work (v. 8): "Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, as now it is with my complaints, and then I shall not be ashamed of my hope, but my enemies will be ashamed of their insolence.' Those that love God love to be praising him, and desire to be doing it all the day, not only in their morning and evening devotions, not only seven times a day (Ps. 119:164), but all the day, to intermix with all they say something or other that may redound to the honour and praise of God. They resolve to do it while they live; they hope to be doing it eternally in a better world.
      • (5.) That he might not be neglected now in his declining years (v. 9): Cast me not off now in the time of my old gage; forsake me not when my strength fails. Observe here,
        • [1.] The natural sense he had of the infirmities of age: My strength fails. Where there was strength of body and vigour of mind, strong sight, a strong voice, strong limbs, alas! in old age they fail; the life is continued, but the strength is gone, or that which is his labour and sorrow, Ps. 90:10.
        • [2.] The gracious desire he had of the continuance of God's presence with him under these infirmities: Lord, cast me not off; do not then forsake me. This intimates that he should look upon himself as undone if God should abandon him. To be cast off and forsaken of God is a thing to be dreaded at any time, especially in the time of old age and when our strength fails us; for it is God that is the strength of our heart. But it intimates that he had reason to hope God would not desert him; the faithful servants of God may be comfortably assured that he will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails them. He is a Master that is not wont to cast off old servants. In this confidence David here prays again (v. 12): "O God! be not far from me; let me not be under the apprehension of thy withdrawings, for then I am miserable. I my God! a God in covenant with me, make haste for my help, lest I perish before help come.'
  • II. He prays that his enemies might be made ashamed of their designs against him. Observe,
    • 1. What it was which they unjustly said against him, v. 10, 11. Their plot was deep and desperate; it was against his life: They lay wait for my soul (v. 10), and are adversaries to that, v. 13. Their powers and policies were combined: They take counsel together. And very insolent they were in their deportment: They say, God has forsaken him; persecute and take him. Here their premises are utterly false, that because a good man was in great trouble and had continued long in it, and was not so soon delivered as perhaps he expected, therefore God had forsaken him and would have no more to do with him. All are not forsaken of God who think themselves so or whom others think to be so. And, as their premises were false, so their inference was barbarous. If God has forsaken him, then persecute and take him, and doubt not but to make a prey of him. This is talking to the grief of one whom God has smitten, Ps. 69:26. But thus they endeavour to discourage David, as Sennacherib endeavoured to intimidate Hezekiah by suggesting that God was his enemy and fought against him. Have I now come up without the Lord against this city, to destroy it? Isa. 36:10. It is true, if God has forsaken a man, there is none to deliver him; but therefore to insult over him ill becomes those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve to be for ever forsaken of God. But rejoice not against me, O my enemy! though I fall, I shall rise. He that seems to forsake for a small moment will gather with everlasting kindness.
    • 2. What it was which he justly prayed for, from a spirit of prophecy, not a spirit of passion (v. 13): "Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul. If they will not be confounded by repentance, and so saved, let them be confounded with everlasting dishonour, and so ruined.' God will turn into shame the glory of those who turn into shame the glory of God and his people.

Psa 71:14-24

David is here in a holy transport of joy and praise, arising from his faith and hope in God; we have both together v. 14, where there is a sudden and remarkable change of his voice; his fears are all silenced, his hopes raised, and his prayers turned into thanksgivings. "Let my enemies say what they will, to drive me to despair, I will hope continually, hope in all conditions, in the most cloudy and dark day; I will live upon hope and will hope to the end.' Since we hope in one that will never fail us, let not our hope in him fail us, and then we shall praise him yet more and more. "The more they reproach me the more closely will I cleave to thee; I will praise thee more and better than ever I have done yet.' The longer we live the more expert we should grow in praising God and the more we should abound in it. I will add over and above all thy praise, all the praise I have hitherto offered, for it is all too little. When we have said all we can, to the glory of God's grace, there is still more to be said; it is a subject that can never be exhausted, and therefore we should never grow weary of it. Now observe, in these verses,

  • I. How his heart is established in faith and hope; and it is a good thing that the heart be so established. Observe,
    • 1. What he hopes in, v. 16.
      • (1.) In the power of God: "I will go in the strength of the Lord God, not sit down in despair, but stir up myself to and exert myself in my work and warfare, will go forth and go on, not in any strength of my own, but in God's strength-disclaiming my own sufficiency and depending on him only as all-sufficient-in the strength of his providence and in the strength of his grace.' We must always go about God's work in his strength, having our eyes up unto him to work in us both to will and to do.
      • (2.) In the promise of God: "I will make mention of thy righteousness, that is, thy faithfulness to every word which thou hast spoken, the equity of thy disposals, and thy kindness to thy people that trust in thee. This I will make mention of as my plea in prayer for thy mercy.' We may very fitly apply it to the righteousness of Christ, which is called the righteousness of God by faith, and which is witnessed by the law and the prophets; we must depend upon God's strength for assistance and upon Christ's righteousness for acceptance. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength, Isa. 45:24.
    • 2. What he hopes for.
      • (1.) He hopes that God will not leave him in his old age, but will be the same to him to the end that he had been all along, v. 17, 18. Observe here,
        • [1.] What God had done for him when he was young: Thou hast taught me from my youth. The good education and good instructions which his parents gave him when he was young he owns himself obliged to give God thanks for as a great favour. It is a blessed thing to be taught of God from our youth, from our childhood to know the holy scriptures, and it is what we have reason to bless God for.
        • [2.] What he had done for God when he was middle-aged: He had declared all God's wondrous works. Those that have not good when they are young must be doing good when they are grown up, and must continue to communicate what they have received. We must own that all the works of God's goodness to us are wondrous works, admiring he should do so much for us who are so undeserving, and we must make it our business to declare them, to the glory of God and the good of others.
        • [3.] What he desired of God now that he was old: Now that I am old and gray-headed, dying to this world and hastening to another, O God! forsake me not. This is what he earnestly desires and confidently hopes for. Those that have been taught of God from their youth, and have made it the business of their lives to honour him, may be sure that he will not leave them when they are old and gray-headed, will not leave them helpless and comfortless, but will make the evil days of old age their best days, and such as they shall have occasion to say they have pleasure in.
        • [4.] What he designed to do for God in his old age: "I will not only show thy strength, by my own experience of it, to this generation, but I will leave my observations upon record for the benefit of posterity, and so who it to every one that is to come.' As long as we live we should be endeavouring to glorify God and edify one another; and those that have had the largest and longest experience of the goodness of God to them should improve their experiences for the good of their friends. It is a debt which the old disciples of Christ owe to the succeeding generations to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the power, pleasure, and advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises.
      • (2.) He hopes that God would revive him and raise him up out of his present low and disconsolate condition (v. 20): Thou who hast made me to see and feel great and sore troubles, above most men, shalt quicken me again. Note,
        • [1.] The best of God's saints and servants are sometimes exercised with great and sore troubles in this world.
        • [2.] God's hand is to be eyed in all the troubles of the saints, and that will help to extenuate them and make them seem light. He does not say, "Thou hast burdened me with those troubles,' but "shown them to me,' as the tender father shows the child the rod to keep him in awe.
        • [3.] Though God's people be brought ever so low he can revive them and raise them up. Are they dead? he can quicken them again. See 2 Co. 1:9. Are they buried, as dead men out of mind? he can bring them up again from the depths of the earth, can cheer the most drooping spirit and raise the most sinking interest.
        • [4.] If we have a due regard to the hand of God in our troubles, we may promise ourselves, in due time, a deliverance out of them. Our present troubles, though great and sore, shall be no hindrance to our joyful resurrection from the depths of the earth, witness our great Master, to whom this may have some reference; his Father showed him great and sore troubles, but quickened him and brought him up from the grave.
      • (3.) He hopes that God would not only deliver him out of his troubles, but would advance his honour and joy more than ever (v. 21): "Thou shalt not only restore me to my greatness again, but shalt increase it, and give me a better interest, after this shock, than before; thou shalt not only comfort me, but comfort me on every side, so that I shall see nothing black or threatening on any side.' Note, Sometimes God makes his people's troubles contribute to the increase of their greatness, and their sun shines the brighter for having been under a cloud. If he make them contribute to the increase of their goodness, that will prove in the end the increase of their greatness, their glory; and if he comfort them on every side, according to the time and degree wherein he has afflicted them on every side, they will have no reason to complain. When our Lord Jesus was quickened again, and brought back from the depths of the earth, his greatness was increased, and he entered on the joy set before him.
      • (4.) He hopes that all his enemies would be put to confusion, v. 24. He speaks of it with the greatest assurance as a thing done, and triumphs in it accordingly: They are confounded, they are brought to shame, that seek my hurt. His honour would be their disgrace and his comfort their vexation.
  • II. Let us now see how his heart is enlarged in joy and praises, how he rejoices in hope, and sings in hope for we are saved by hope.
    • 1. He will speak of God's righteousness and his salvation, as great things, things which he was well acquainted with, and much affected with, which he desired God might have the glory of and others might have the comfortable knowledge of (v. 15): My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation; and again (v. 24), My tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, and this all the day. God's righteousness, which David seems here to be in a particular manner affected with, includes a great deal: the rectitude of his nature, the equity of his providential disposals, the righteous laws he has given us to be ruled by, the righteous promises he has given us to depend upon, and the everlasting righteousness which his Son has brought in for our justification. God's righteousness and his salvation are here joined together; let no man think to put them asunder, nor expect salvation without righteousness, Ps. 50:23. If these two are made the objects of our desire, let them be made the subjects of our discourse all the day, for they are subjects that can never be exhausted.
    • 2. He will speak of them with wonder and admiration, as one astonished at the dimensions of divine love and grace, the height and depth, the length and breadth, of it: "I know not the numbers thereof, v. 15. Though I cannot give a particular account of thy favours to me, they are so many, so great (if I would count them, they are more in number than the sand, Ps. 40:5), yet, knowing them to be numberless, I will be still speaking of them, for in them I shall find new matter,' v. 19. The righteousness that is in God is very high; that which is done by him for his people is very great: put both together, and we shall say, O God! who is like unto thee? This is praising God, acknowledging his perfections and performances to be,
      • (1.) Above our conception; they are very high and great, so high that we cannot apprehend them, so great that we cannot comprehend them.
      • (2.) Without any parallel; no being like him, no works like his: O God! who is like unto thee? None in heaven, none on earth, no angel, no king. God is a non-such; we do not rightly praise him if we do not own him to be so.
    • 3. He will speak of them with all the expressions of joy and exultation, v. 22, 23. Observe,
      • (1.) How he would eye God in praising him.
        • [1.] As a faithful God: I will praise thee, even thy truth. God is made known by his word; if we praise that, and the truth of that, we praise him. By faith we set to our seal that God is true; and so we praise his truth.
        • [2.] As a God in covenant with him: "O my God! whom I have consented to and avouched for mine.' As in our prayers, so in our praises, we must look up to God as our God, and give him the glory of our interest in him and relation to him.
        • [3.] As the Holy One of Israel, Israel's God in a peculiar manner, glorious in his holiness among that people and faithful to his covenant with them. It is God's honour that he is a Holy One; it is his people's honour that he is the Holy One of Israel.
      • (2.) How he will express his joy and exultation.
        • [1.] With his hand, in sacred music-with the psaltery, with the harp; at these David excelled, and the best of his skill shall be employed in setting forth God's praises to such advantage as might affect others.
        • [2.] With his lips, in sacred songs: "Unto thee will I sing, to thy honour, and with a desire to be accepted of thee. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee, knowing they cannot be better employed.'
        • [3.] In both with his heart: "My soul shall rejoice which thou hast redeemed.' Note,
          • First, Holy joy is the very heart and life of thankful praise.
          • Secondly, We do not make melody to the Lord, in singing his praises, if we do not do it with our hearts. My lips shall rejoice, but that is nothing; lip-labour, though ever so well laboured, if that be all, is but lost labour in serving God; the soul must be at work, and with all that is within us we must bless his holy name, else all about us is worth little.
          • Thirdly, Redeemed souls ought to be joyful thankful souls. The work of redemption ought, above all God's works, to be celebrated by us in our praises. The Lamb that was slain, and has redeemed us to God, must therefore be counted worthy of all blessing and praise.