Psalm 71: You are God the Rock of My Salvation

     1–3    In you, Lord, I have found my refuge, let me never be put to shame—

                Do what you do so well: help me out of this mess and back up on my feet.

                For you are my rock and my fortress.  You said your door was always open!

                You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.

     4–7    My God, free me from the grip of Wicked, from the hand of the evil and cruel.

               You have kept me going when times are tough— since my childhood.

               I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth—from the day you took me from the cradle.

               I’ll never run out of praise. I have become a sign for many that You are my strong refuge.

     8–11    Just as each day brims with your beauty,  my mouth brims with praise.

                 Don’t turn away from me when I’m old, or put me away on a shelf when I can’t pull my weight.

                My enemies are talking behind my back, watching for their chance to take my life.

                They gossip “his God has abandoned him. If we pounce on him now; no one will help him.”

12–16    God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.  Come to me! Run to my side!

              My accusers make them lose face.   Those out to get me—make them look like fools. 

               Like idiots, while I stretch out reaching for you, may my accusers be put to shame;

               May those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

               I’ll write the book on your righteousness, talk up your salvation the livelong day,

               Never to run out of good things to write or say.   I will praise you more and more—

17–24   Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I an telling the world of

              Your wonders.  I’ll keep at it until I am old, O God, don’t walk off and leave me  until I get out the news.  
             Of your strong right arm to this world... news of your power to the world is yet come.   
            Your famous and righteous  ways, God.  O God, you’ve done it all! Who is quite like you?  
            You, who made me stare trouble in the face, you turned me around—
            and now I look life in the face.  I’ve been to the bottom and brought back up streaming with honor.  

            Turn to me, be tender to me, and I’ll take up the lute and thank you. 
            To the tune of your faithfulness, O God,  I’ll make music for you on the harp. 
            My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you,  in whom you have delivered.
            O Holy One of Israel, my tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, 
            For those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.   The Message Bible

There is something which most people want and yet almost everyone fears: growing old. Old age has many frightening aspects: an aging body which is more susceptible to illness; declining strength; feelings of uselessness (especially after retirement); the loss of friends and loved ones through death; the reality of one’s own death drawing nearer; loneliness; feelings of alienation from one’s children and grandchildren, who are busy with other interests and pursuits; and, very often, financial concerns due to dwindling income. Sadly, our American culture does not esteem growing old.  It is interesting, by the way, that in China old age is still viewed as the most respected stage of life.

The reason that the psalmist could handle his problems so well in his later years is because he had developed a walk with God in the years leading up to this time. We don’t know for sure who wrote this psalm, but I believe Psalm 71 is a psalm of King David now an old man. He is still not without many trials and problems, but he is obviously a joyful man who is able to put his focus on the Lord in the midst of it all. 

1. We need to develop a deep knowledge of God.

The psalm is permeated with a deep personal understanding and practical knowledge of the Lord God. He had been taught of God even from his youth. The man knew God as his “strong refuge,” and his righteous “Savior.” God showed His faithfulness to David and His people in keeping His promises. He calls God the “Rock of his Salvation”—his rock and fortress, his hope and confidence. 

2. We need to develop the godly habits of trust, praise, and hope.

A habit is developed by frequent repetition over a period of time. Once it’s in place, a habit becomes almost involuntary. Our attitudes, how we respond mentally and emotionally to life’s problems, tend to become habitual responses. Some people become habitual worriers; some become habitual complainers; some become habitually negative, pessimistic, and angry. Others become habitually cheerful and positive. The habits we develop in our younger years tend to take us further in that direction as we grow older.

— Develop THE HABIT OF TRUST (verse 71:3)

      The whole psalm is an affirmation of the psalmist’s trust in the Lord. Such faith stems from a knowledge of  God.

— Develop THE HABIT OF PRAISE (verse 71:6, 8, 14, 22-24).

     Praise is not a natural habit. [Most of us have such habits like grumblers and complainers ingrained in us by nature.] Even when difficult times come, God wants us to learn to praise Him. The psalmist had deliberately developed that habit.  We learn to praise God when trials come—because trust stems from knowing God, so praise stems from trusting God.

This is true on the human plane as well as on the divine. You can’t praise a person you don’t trust. If you feel that there is something about a person that you can’t trust, you won’t sing his praises to others. It’s the same way with God. If deep-down inside you doubt God’s goodness or faithfulness for allowing some trial to come your way, then you don’t trust Him. And not trusting Him, you cannot honestly praise Him.

— Develop THE HABIT OF HOPE (verse 71:14). 

     The psalmist has also developed a habit of hope.  There is a big difference between secular hope and biblical hope. Both forms of hope contain the idea of future expectations. But secular hope is uncertain because its object is uncertain, whereas biblical hope is sure because God is its object (71:5).  We build our Hope o the promises of God.  Focusing on our problems causes us to loose hope and also makes bitter… not better.