Psa 71:7 | KingComments | STEP | The psalmist tells God why he appeals to Him ( ): God is his hope. His hope in affliction is not in people, but in God. He knows Him from his youth as the “Lord GOD”, Adonai Yahweh. From his youth God has been his confidence. We also know of others who put their trust in God from their youth, such as Josiah ( ) and Timothy ( ). When the psalmist says that he has been sustained by God from his birth, literally “upon You I have been supported” ( ), he is not speaking of himself, but the Spirit through him is speaking of the Lord Jesus. Only the Lord Jesus can say that He has been supported by God from His mother’s womb. Leaning on God is an act. It is something that only someone can do who knows that he needs that support. This is so with the Lord Jesus from the moment He is born. It shows the wonder of His Person. He is God and Man at the same time. He also knows that God took Him from His mother’s womb. This means that He has known God as His Helper from His earliest existence as Man, when He still was in His mother’s womb. This is also known by every human being who has come to faith. That is the moment he started counting on God’s help. Every God-fearing person will acknowledge that God has helped him in life from the womb. This is also the confession of restored Israel in the end time. God has been the Helper of the people from the very beginning of their existence. This awareness of God’s care from the beginning brings about great thankfulness. This thankfulness is constantly expressed in praise of God. The remnant will have hope through and draw confidence from examples in Scripture, how in the very beginning of the nation they had put their trust in God and were not ashamed. They also know how Christ always put His trust in God. The birth of Isaac is a wonder sign, that is characterized by Abraham’s faith and trust in God. The birth of Israel as a people redeemed from the bondage of Egypt is also marked by wonder signs. During the course of his life, the God-fearing has “become a marvel to many” ( ). The word “marvel” can also be translated as ‘wonder’. It is a sign of God. Time and again attacks have been made on his life, but they have been unsuccessful. His enemies did not succeed in their intentions. Every salvation is a wonder. It is also a sign. This sign is that he is under the protection of God. God is his “strong refuge”. He owes his survival not to his own cleverness or strength, but to the protection of his God from Whom he seeks refuge. In the same way, Israel is a wonder and a sign. The people still exist, despite all attempts to eradicate them. They owe this not to their military strength and intelligent defensive tactics, but to God’s providential protection. All attempts that are still being made to exterminate them will fail. The reason is that God has chosen this people to be His people. The whole world will see it when the Lord Jesus will reign there. Their existence means that God is there and is standing up for His people. In this way, our life can also be a sign, it can have meaning for those around us, because it is seen that we owe everything to God. Now the psalmist has come to the end of his life. He tells God that his mouth will be filled with His praise and His glory all day long ( ). Earlier ( ) he has said that God’s care for him from his formation in the mother’s womb makes him praise God constantly. Now he tells God that he will do this all day long and that not only with respect to praising God, but also with making known His glory. The reason for this is that he has become old and his strength is failing ( ). When strength fails, one becomes uncertain in his movements ( ). But even in old age God is the same ( ). The old believer who continues to remember this will ask God to help him every day. There is no better preparation for old age with its diminishing strength and its increasing weaknesses than to seek the Creator in youth and to think of Him in childhood and the prime of life ( ). Old age is a new phase of life, but one in which the upbuilded life with God is built up further. Experiences with God are gained that were not possible before.

‏ Psalms 71:7

The Occasion for Prayer

The psalmist tells God why he appeals to Him (Psa 71:5): God is his hope. His hope in affliction is not in people, but in God. He knows Him from his youth as the “Lord GOD”, Adonai Yahweh. From his youth God has been his confidence. We also know of others who put their trust in God from their youth, such as Josiah (2Chr 34:3) and Timothy (2Tim 3:14-15).

When the psalmist says that he has been sustained by God from his birth, literally “upon You I have been supported” (Psa 71:6), he is not speaking of himself, but the Spirit through him is speaking of the Lord Jesus. Only the Lord Jesus can say that He has been supported by God from His mother’s womb. Leaning on God is an act. It is something that only someone can do who knows that he needs that support. This is so with the Lord Jesus from the moment He is born. It shows the wonder of His Person. He is God and Man at the same time.

He also knows that God took Him from His mother’s womb. This means that He has known God as His Helper from His earliest existence as Man, when He still was in His mother’s womb. This is also known by every human being who has come to faith. That is the moment he started counting on God’s help. Every God-fearing person will acknowledge that God has helped him in life from the womb. This is also the confession of restored Israel in the end time. God has been the Helper of the people from the very beginning of their existence. This awareness of God’s care from the beginning brings about great thankfulness. This thankfulness is constantly expressed in praise of God.

The remnant will have hope through and draw confidence from examples in Scripture, how in the very beginning of the nation they had put their trust in God and were not ashamed. They also know how Christ always put His trust in God. The birth of Isaac is a wonder sign, that is characterized by Abraham’s faith and trust in God. The birth of Israel as a people redeemed from the bondage of Egypt is also marked by wonder signs.

During the course of his life, the God-fearing has “become a marvel to many” (Psa 71:7). The word “marvel” can also be translated as ‘wonder’. It is a sign of God. Time and again attacks have been made on his life, but they have been unsuccessful. His enemies did not succeed in their intentions. Every salvation is a wonder. It is also a sign. This sign is that he is under the protection of God. God is his “strong refuge”. He owes his survival not to his own cleverness or strength, but to the protection of his God from Whom he seeks refuge.

In the same way, Israel is a wonder and a sign. The people still exist, despite all attempts to eradicate them. They owe this not to their military strength and intelligent defensive tactics, but to God’s providential protection. All attempts that are still being made to exterminate them will fail. The reason is that God has chosen this people to be His people. The whole world will see it when the Lord Jesus will reign there. Their existence means that God is there and is standing up for His people. In this way, our life can also be a sign, it can have meaning for those around us, because it is seen that we owe everything to God.

Now the psalmist has come to the end of his life. He tells God that his mouth will be filled with His praise and His glory all day long (Psa 71:8). Earlier (Psa 71:6) he has said that God’s care for him from his formation in the mother’s womb makes him praise God constantly. Now he tells God that he will do this all day long and that not only with respect to praising God, but also with making known His glory.

The reason for this is that he has become old and his strength is failing (Psa 71:9). When strength fails, one becomes uncertain in his movements (Ecc 12:5a). But even in old age God is the same (Isa 46:4). The old believer who continues to remember this will ask God to help him every day.

There is no better preparation for old age with its diminishing strength and its increasing weaknesses than to seek the Creator in youth and to think of Him in childhood and the prime of life (Ecc 12:1). Old age is a new phase of life, but one in which the upbuilded life with God is built up further. Experiences with God are gained that were not possible before.