Psalm 71 - Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

0:00Psalm 71 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge? Let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness deliver me, and rescue me, incline your ear to me and save me, beat me a rock of refuge to which I may continually come. You have given the command to save me for you are my rock and my fortress. Forgive me, oh my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. For you, O Lord, are my hoe, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth. You are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. I have been as important to many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength is spent. For my enemies speak concerning me, those who watch for my life consult together and

1:04say, God has forsaken him, pursue and seize him for there is none to deliver him. Oh God, be not far from me. Oh my God, make haste to help me. May my accusers be put to shame and consumed, with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my herd, but I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of all your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord, God, I will come. I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. Oh God, from my youth you have taught me. Oh God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, oh God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, oh God, reaches the high heavens, you who have done great things, oh God, who is like you.

2:04You 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, you will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp, for your faithfulness, oh my God, I will sing praises to you with the liar, oh holy one of Israel, my lips will shout for joy, when icing praises to you, my soul also what you have redeemed, and my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed, who sought to do me hurt. This is the prayer of a saint in winter, who in his old age realizes that life is mostly over for him. Do not cast me off in the time of old age, he prays. So even to old age and gray hairs, oh God, do not forsake me. As we continue to age, this psalm instructs us in how to walk with God. We are reminded that our time on earth is filled with strife, God is brought into the psalmist's life, many troubles and calamities.

3:05The psalmists are realists. They do not skate over hardships, smiling all the way. They know what it feels like to spend time in the depths of the earth. But through all of the pains, the psalmist has not grown cynical. Cynicism is a great temptation as we walk through life and move toward death. As difficulties pile up as relationships sour, as hopes and goals fail to materialize, it is easy to throw in the towel emotionally and settle into cold-hearted cynicism. The psalmist, however, teaches us that pain is not meant to numb us and cause our hearts to withdraw. Pain is meant to draw her hearts up to God. From the depths of the earth, you will bring me up again. Adversity is not intended to diminish our hope in God. Adversity is intended to heighten our hope in Him. We are brought to remember that God is all we have and that He is enough.

4:11We are brought to remember that God is all we have and that He is enough.